


Dark Summoner

by Auraion



Category: Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Animagus Tidus, Guardian!Yuna, M/M, Mild Character Bashing, Rival Yuna, Spira, Summoner Harry, Zanarkand, crossposted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-01-23 08:23:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 141,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12503100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auraion/pseuds/Auraion
Summary: An accidental wish sends Harry tumbling into the world of Spira where his skills as a Summoner will be put to the ultimate test.Accompanied by Tidus and some other new friends, he'll need to conquer the new challenges and solve Spira's mysteries.





	1. The Story Begins

**Author's Note:**

> So...  
> Hello.... everybody....  
> This is being cross-posted from Fanfiction.net.  
> It's been a while....  
> Maybe this process will get me moving again yeah? 
> 
> ... oh boy what am I getting myself into.
> 
> Anyway, as you may know, this is a completed work. I'll be updating it every two days with chapters till they're all here before I start posting the next one.... just so they're not flooding any pages. Also, I make no promises about editing. People may be aware that I've never bothered with beta readers or editors, so if you do see something, unless it makes the entire story/chapter unreadable I'm not to concerned about fixing it. That said, I will at least be going over the chapters again as I post them so they'll get a token fixing before I stick em up here. 
> 
> With all the housekeeping out of the way, I hope you guys can forgive me for vanishing all this time. 
> 
> Cya

The halls where too quiet. 

It had been this way ever since the death of Dumbledore near the end of the war. It was painfully obvious that even the castle herself, missed the old Headmaster, missed people, in the way everything had dimmed over time. The end of the war and the defeat of Voldemort at Harry’s hands had brought a brief reprieve from the burden put on all, but the entire wizarding world had paid the price in the forms of lost loved ones and an upset economy, making recovery a hard thing. They’d all looked to him to lead the dying race and no matter what he did he just couldn’t help them.

Harry stopped in his wonderings of the halls of Hogwarts and looked out at the bleak grounds. It was supposed to be summer but it rained regardless. There was a gaping crevice out in the forest that stuck out like a scar in the earth itself. That had been the site of the final battle, the forbidden Aeon had taken form there and destroyed everything, including Voldemort, opening the gaping wound. He didn’t remember what had happened after that. Once the summoning had finished he’d fallen unconscious and when he woke he lay alone on the edge of the crevice. His guardians had vanished, all six of them. Luna, Neville, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Remus had all sworn to protect him until the end of time but they’d all disapeared during the war leaving him alone in a lonely castle isolated from the rest of the world. 

He turned away from the depressing sight beyond the window and resumed his aimless wondering toward nowhere. He’d mastered the art of the sending during the time after the war. The sad dance that sent the souls of the dead toward their next life was the hardest thing he’d ever learned in his crash course of summoning. Even now it still sent souls fleeing from Hogwarts as it to slowly lost its attachment to the world. Harry passed through a door that had sprung out of the dead end before him and sat down on the stairs within that lead up to a small dais. Upon it was a large dusty mirror with an over the top golden frame. He took no notice of it, instead looking down at the staff in his lap. About 3 feet long and made of a dark ebony wood, it was nearly the only thing that remained to remind him of anything. It was his focus, a conduit for the power he used to call the aeons he’d been given. His dull green eyes blurred with old tears as he closed them tight and leaned back against the mirror. 

“I wish…” He whispered to himself. “I wish that I could be somewhere else, somewhere where someone really needs me… any where but here.” His eyes remained closed as he slid to the floor, crying himself to sleep like he did most nights. Even so, he didn’t notice when the mirror above him began to glow. The soft gold light pulsed from the glass, lighting up the words across the top of the frame:

_Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi._

There was a secret to this mirror none but its creator knew off. If you wanted something badly enough the mirror could give it to you, if you wished for something with your entire heart and soul you can receive that one wish, and that’s just what it did for Harry. The light wrapped around the green eyed Summoners sleeping form, barely a second later it flashed, by the time the light faded away it was clear the room was empty.

He was gone.

 

_________________________________________________

 

Tidus looked out the window of his cabin with a sigh and ran a hand through his blonde hair. The lights of Zanarkand glittered over the docks where his home was tied up for the night. He had a Blitz Ball game in a few hours but he didn’t really feel like playing. Sure, Blitz Ball was practically his life but he’d only ever taken it up because of his father. He still wanted to prove himself to a man who’d been missing and presumed dead for at least ten years. 

‘Bastard.’ He thought vehemently. ‘He shouldn’t have left me n’ mom like that.’ He flopped onto his bed and scanned his room lazily. The walls where covered in Blitz Ball posters and even a few of himself. There was one picture of his ‘old man’, but it was much abused and pinned to a dartboard with a dart jammed through his forehead. Tidus hummed absently to himself as he got up and grabbed the dart before plunging it back into one brown eye. 

“Smirk at that moron.” He bit out almost savagely before he swung open his bedroom door and walked out. The boat rocked gently beneath his feet as he listened to the shouts of the crowd that had begun to build outside. They did that before every ‘Abe’s’ game; he wasn’t their star player for nothing after all. The lounge room was, thankfully, adult free. Auron had left earlier that day and his mother must still be in her room. She didn’t come out very often any more; it had been like that since they’d called off the search for Jecht. The blonde shook his head; he just didn’t see what his mother even saw in the stuck up ass.

After checking the sensor readouts on everything’s functions Tidus flopped onto the couch and stared up at the wooden ceiling, bored. It was around about then he noticed the speck of light shinning above his head. The little gold light pulsed rhythmically and grew brighter with every one. Tidus had to squint when it reached the size of a Blitz Ball and was nearly thrown off the couch when it exploded abruptly. He raised his arm to protect his face and didn’t see the black form until it had hurtled into him, knocking the wind from his lungs as it weighed on his chest. Almost as suddenly as it had come the light just blinked out and the blonde shoved the thing that had fallen on him down onto his lap. As he sat up wheezing he got his first good look at it.

He was floored for the second time that night when he realized that the thing that had fallen on him was in fact a person, to be more precise, a boy his age. He was thin and pale with some kind of ragged black coat that looked as if it had seen better times, wrapped around his body. Getting over his shock quickly he dumped the boy on the couch and ran back to his room, ignoring the staff clutched limply in the other teen’s hand. For a moment he wished Auron were there but then thought better of it. 

‘Shit like this just didn’t happen every day but first, take care of the sick kid who landed in your lap.’ He thought to himself as he dug around for a spare blanket and another set of clothes. He didn’t even get why he was doing it either. To be honest he could probably just dump him outside and leave it at that, just like his father would have. 

“But I’m not my father.” He said aloud to himself. “Besides there’s a whole bunch of people out there.” It was true. He could still hear them outside. Reassured by his reasoning Tidus hauled a pile of cloth out of his room only to find the boy was already awake and looking around the technologically advanced cabin. He jumped to his feet shakily when he reentered the black staff in his hand nearly vibrating with the effort it took to hold him up. 

“Where am I?” He asked, his voice slightly accented but in the same language nonetheless. That was one thing in his favor. 

“Whoa!” Tidus dropped the bundle and put his hands up in the universal sign of ‘I surrender’. “Easy, easy!” He wavered, unsure whether to go forward or back. “You’re on my house boat, geeze!” The dark haired teen lowered the staff fractionally. 

“That doesn’t answer my question, which town? City?” Tidus lowered his hands a little and took a step forward. 

“You don’t know about Zanarkand?” he asked carefully. Dull but alert green eyes looked at him in confusion, their gaze piercing right through him as if searching his soul. Finally the stranger shook his head and let his staff hand fall limply to his side once more. 

“I don’t know anything anymore.” He said in a lost tone that had Tidus feeling some sympathy for him. He looked back at the couch and then looked up at him. “I’m sorry, I should be leaving now.” He began to shuffle toward the outer hatch but for some reason Tidus didn’t want him to leave.

“Wait!” In the space of a few seconds he’d dashed across the room and stopped in front of him. The teen stared up at him in surprise and apprehension. The look made Tidus cringe slightly with embarrassment and his hand went instinctively to the back of his head. 

“You can’t go out there yet.” He gave a short laugh. “There are too many people out there….” Tidus trailed off as the teen gave a nod. Tidus started when he realized his was staring at the nearly glowing green eyes and averted his gaze, instead going to where he’d dropped the pile of things he’d grabbed beforehand. 

“You’ll look out of place if you leave here looking like that.” He said dumping a bundle into his arms. “It doesn’t look like you’ve had a shower in a while either.” Looking rather lost once more he was scooted out of the room. Tidus caught sight of the clock on the digital screen on one side of the room and nearly jumped when he noticed the time. It sure did fly when a stranger appearing out of thin air threw you for a loop. He hadn’t even bothered to ask his name. Still pondering all that had happened and his unusually fast response he began to sing quietly to himself. It was an old song his father used to sing before he went missing. The blonde didn’t really understand where it came from but sang it nonetheless. It was something almost instinctive. He’d been singing under his breath for some time when he heard a whisper.

“That song…its familiar.” His head nearly twisted off his neck as he stopped singing in embarrassment, giving the green-eyed teen an evaluating look. He’d changed from the ragged robes into some of the clothes he’d dug out at a moment’s notice and some that he hadn’t. He wore a pair of black jeans with a hole in the knee that should have been to large for him, a grey shirt and a funky kind of version of his robe (1) that looked like it was made of scales and without the damage made by neglect. On his hands where a pair of black leather fingerless gloves that Tidus hadn’t noticed before. 

“I’ve heard it before but I can’t quite remember where…” He trailed off, hanging by the door. Tidus opened his mouth to say something when he remembered the game.

“Oh shit.” He cursed, startling the staff totting mystery on feet. “I’ll be late for the game!” He jumped up and shoved his sneakers on to his feet hurriedly before stopping briefly to look at the dark haired teen. 

“You can come with me if you want.” He offered, holding out a hand. “Have you ever been to a Blitz Ball game before?” He walked over tentively. Even if he looked like he could fall over any second dull eyes where beginning to shine with curiosity. 

“I’ve been to Quidditch games before but not Blitz Ball.” Tidus screwed up his face in confusion. 

“Quidditch?” He asked in an incredulous tone. “What kind of name is that?” These words had a strange effect on the teen and he smiled faintly before it grew into a grin. He laughed, seemingly coming to life for the first time since he’d appeared in his life barely an hour or two ago. Tidus just grabbed his hand and dragged him bodily out on to the deck. People where waiting for him on the dock. They began to cheer and shout, holding out Blitzballs for him to sign. His new acquaintance was occupied by staring at the lights of Zanarkand as a trio of boy’s asking for Blitz Ball lessons ambushed Tidus. 

“TEACH US HOW TO BLITZ!” they said loudly and all at once. Tidus scratched his head… how did he deal with this? 

“Ummm, how about later tonight?” He asked. The voice of another boy came from behind the crowd. 

“You can’t tonight.” Tidus realized the voice was right.

“Uh yeah, I can’t. How about tomorrow then?” The boys nodded their agreement and set down their Blitzballs before waving their arms in a large circle. They continued the movement through to make a smaller circle with their hands and bowed. It was the Blitz Ball sign of victory. Tidus smiled and waved for the dark haired teen to follow as he shouted goodbyes and started off at a jog that the staff wielder had no trouble keeping up with. They slowed to a walk when they reached the main walkway that lead directly to the stadium. 

“I never asked your name.” Tidus looked at the other teen in surprise for a brief moment, wondering how they’d been thinking of similar things. 

“Tidus.” He said when he realized he’d been staring… again. It was just so easy to get caught by those green eyes. “I’m the star player of the Zanarkand Abe’s.” His new friend gave him a bemused look. 

“My name is Harry.” He said simply looking out at the rooftops of the city. “Just Harry.”

“Harry huh?” Tidus repeated the name to himself before he fell silent, the noise of the stadium grew louder as they approached and Tidus looked up at a billboard perched on the side of a building. His father’s faces leered down at him. The blonde Blitz Baller scowled up at it and flipped it off, earning a scandalized look from another pedestrian on the walkway. Harry was looking at him again.

“Who is that?” He asked almost timidly. Tidus sent it another glare before his face settled to a more normal expression. 

“My Old Man.” He said, the sound of dislike heavy in his tone. “Jecht. He just upped and left my mother and me ten years ago and hasn’t been seen since, the bastard.” Harry made a little ‘oh’ noise and didn’t speak again. They shoved past the crowds in front of the stadium pretty quickly and the blonde led him to the Abe’s locker room. 

“You can watch the game from here.” He said with a faintly goofy grin, ignoring the looks he was getting from his teammates. “I’ll come and get you when it’s over.” Harry’s knuckles where nearly white from gripping the dark staff in his hands but he nodded anyway as he and the team went to warm up. The misplaced Summoner took a seat on a bench and watched the screen as the rather violent game started. It was about half way through when a feeling of dread settled over him. Something was very wrong and he had to be out there to face it. 

 

_____________________________________

 

The game was characteristically violent was the players swam around the sphere pool. It was an all or nothing tournament game and their place in the finals was at risk. The Abe’s scored first and a minute or so later the sphere was breached as Tidus managed to throw a player from the opposition out into the stands. He gave the player a smirk as he got to his feet trying to shake off a concussion before he noticed Harry nearby. He only took a moment to wonder how he’d gotten into the stands before his attention was called back to the game. Preparing to do his signature shot he sent the ball high above the sphere and went out after it but on his way down he caught sight of something rising out of the sea, accompanied by a large wave that was heading directly toward the stadium! Panicking he lashed out and grabbed the edge of one of the support rings that held the sphere pool in place. His wet fingers slipped on the cold metal as the wave broke against stone. 

Everything just fell. 

People were screaming and the roar of water filled his ears with a violent crash. One by one his fingers lost their grip on the support ring and he couldn’t hold in a scream of his own as he plummeted toward the churning water below. He managed to take a deep breath and streamlined himself before he hit. He wasn’t a Blitz Baller for nothing after all. Still as he dragged himself in the general direction of the entrance to the stadium he had to cough up liquid that had somehow found it’s way into his lungs. People took no notice of him as they ran for cover, screaming in terror, but Tidus noticed something most of the other people had missed. There, leaning against a fallen stone outside the stadium was Auron, calm as ever, and with him, being held by the back of his robes while he coughed up water, was Harry. 

“Auron! Harry!” Tidus ran toward them as the thing that had made the wave rose higher above Zanarkand, concealed in a ball of water. Harry looked over at him and brightened fractionally. His face though was still wary as he eyed the floating sphere. 

“What’s going on here?” He asked looking at Auron for answers. The graying man didn’t look at him but did however give Harry a push in the blonde’s direction.

“Come… we must go now.” Tidus looked as confused as Harry did when he stopped, looking at them out of the corner of his eye over one shoulder he spoke again in a flat tone. “Protect the Summoner.” He was looking at Tidus but when Harry tensed his grip on his staff the Blitz Baler got the feeling Harry was the ‘Summoner’ Auron was referring to, what ever it meant. Without another word he began to walk along through the crowds of running people. Tidus gave Harry a look and grabbed his wrist before running to catch up. The red clad warrior had stopped further ahead. 

“Look.” He said, pointing toward a skyscraper. Some…thing had broken through it and begun waving around tentacles in the air. Harry eyed it warily as it began to shoot pods into the air. They landed one after the other on the walkway in front of them. Auron had produced a gigantic sword, seemingly from nowhere, and was rummaging around. He found another blade from somewhere on his person and Tidus nearly fell over when the older man just threw it at him. 

“Here… a gift from Jecht.” Tidus stared first at the blade, then at him incredulously. 

“My Old Man?” He asked almost scathingly as he managed to balance out the blade and hold it ready. Auron just gave him a look and nodded his head to where the pods had begun unfurling, revealing the insect like creatures within. A quick look at Harry gave Tidus a shock. The dark haired teen stood ready for something, his staff out in front of him. Before his eyes it morphed slightly and the glint of a blade caught the light of the fires from one of the burning buildings. He knew what he was doing. 

“We cut through… only attack the ones in our way.” Tidus was brought back to the situation at hand by Auron’s calm instructions before the warrior made a short dash forward and sent a downward slash at the nearest creature. It exploded, not into gore like he’d been expecting, but into motes of light that quickly dispersed away. Getting the idea Tidus joined in the melee, staying close to Auron and tugging Harry along behind as he watched their back. Breaking through the wave of creatures they stopped at a section of the walkway where it had buckled upwards and Tidus couldn’t help but stare at the huge mass of dark seawater that floated through the air above Zanarkand, somehow spawning all the creatures that had flooded the city, killing any and all in their path.

“What is that thing?” Harry beat him to the million-dollar question but neither of them took their eyes off the sphere.

“We called it Sin…” Auron said so softly they almost didn’t hear. Abruptly he began to move again and they didn’t get far before another of the tentacles stabbed it’s way though the reinforced concrete slabs that made up a part of the bridge. The blonde came skidding to a stop. 

“We don’t have time for this.” Auron ground out in irritation. He held his sword out in front of him and Harry could feel a buildup of magic in the air around him just before he sprang up. Leaping nearly as high as the tentacles before coming back down, his momentum driving his sword deep into the ground, doing a larger amount of damage than his normal strikes. Tidus’s jaw dropped at the sight of the beasts falling over and vanishing into motes of light. The bigger one however, was still there. Seeing an opening he dashed forward and made a slash of his own against the creature. Finally it let out a guttural sound that came from everywhere before dispersing like the smaller ones. Both he and Harry where panting with the effort of running a short while later as they where halted by yet another wave of the sin spawn, as Tidus had gone ahead and labeled them mentally, giving as no one would tell him what they really where.

“Oh come on! More of these things?” He complained as they began hacking away at the ranks.

“This isn’t going to work…” Auron murmured more to himself than to Harry or Tidus as they fought. “There! Use that!” He called out getting the attention of both teens and pointing to a pair of fuel canisters hanging precariously over the edge of a twenty-story drop. Tidus began to make his way toward it but before he was in range a flash of red light shot past his ear, making him yelp in surprise as it rushed ahead, neatly hitting the generator that held the two fuel canisters together and it exploded, spraying the trio with shrapnel. He couldn’t say anything or even begin to wonder what had done it before he was forced to run as fast as he could along the side of the falling building behind Auron. Somewhere beside him Harry dodged explosions and leapt for the other side of the gap in the walkway where Auron now stood. He had a little more success than Tidus and pulled himself up only to turn around and see that Auron had already grabbed his new friend by the front of his shirt and was looking up at the watery mass in the sky above them. It had begun to form a red and orange vortex above them that just reeked of power. 

“Are you sure?” Auron asked some invisible being before he held the struggling blonde up higher and lashed out to grab Harry by his robe. The vortex was now pulling everything in including them. The scared man that held them spoke up, his voice scarily focused.

“This is it… it all begins here.” The vortex pulled at them, tugging at their bodies like a medieval rack, Harry’s face screwed up in pain as Sin’s power nearly overwhelmed him. 

“This is your story.”

Everything went white.


	2. Oui are Al Bhed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tidus and Harry Run into some new faces.

_“Hey.”_ Someone was calling out to him, but Tidus didn’t want to wake up.

_“HEY!”_ The blonde flinched at the loud voice and finally recognized it. 

_‘My Old Man?’_ He opened his eyes and looked thorough the water to see a great ‘J’ made of fire and rubble suspended in the water before him. With a start he tensed and remembered how he’d gotten there. Auron, Sin, Zanarkand… The once beautiful city lay stretched out beneath him like the remains of the battlefield it had become. Buildings had been reduced to rubble and the bodies of its people floated in the water, already stiff and bloated. Pushing down the panic that threatened to rise he easily found Harry floating, unconscious, beside him. He grabbed a handful of his robe and pulled him down toward the only other source of light in the vicinity. It was a platform, made from the remains of the Blitz stadium, and it looked like someone was standing there. At first he thought it was Jecht but as he got closer the figure changed. It became Auron, a strange child with a purple hood, a younger version of Harry and then a younger version of himself. 

A flood of old memories he’d spent a lifetime trying to push away all came back to him in the space of a few seconds as he looked upon his own face. Even as the water pressed in on him he thought. Why was he here? How the hell did he get in this mess and how the hell would he get out of it. The blonde never once let the hand that held Harry relax as the lack of air finally got to him. He fell asleep and dreamed, dreamed of being alone and wished he wasn’t.

_“You’ve already got it kid.”_

Even unconscious he gripped Harry’s robes a little tighter.

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

The sound of water lapping gently against stone was what woke him. 

The blonde blitzers limbs felt heavy and waterlogged as he lay half in and half out of the water. A bird let out a cry somewhere above his head and on the rock, something shifted. It was a while before he opened his eyes again. The sight that met him was of his own hand holding on to leathery black cloth. A longer look revealed Harry, sitting on the stone and staring into the distance behind him. The green-eyed teen looked down at him when he began to haul himself out of the water and sat down wearily beside him. 

“I didn’t think you’d wake up so soon.” Harry commented in a faint voice as he looked out at the still grey sea. “There’s no one here. Only the birds.” He made a waving gesture and the red and grey bird that had been perched on a nearby rock took off with a squawk, flying to join the others that circled the distant towers of a ruined temple. It was about then Tidus realized they where both shivering, and that Harry had lost his staff. 

“Come on.” He murmured through nearly chattering teeth. “We better find some shelter or something…” He may have sounded flippant but his words where serious. Harry nodded his understanding and slipped back into the water. It was eerie swimming through the dark ruins. Both where unnerved by the red stained stones of some lost civilization. The sun was low on the horizon, sinking against the distant ruin as they dragged themselves onto the largest mass of stone they could find. It wasn’t hard to pick their way through the mess after that. They had just walked out onto a stone arch though when it crumbled beneath them, sending them tumbling back into the water. The statues that they’d seen from the walkway stared at them impassively as more sin spawn swam up to them. Tidus’s hand immediately went to the hilt of his father’s sword, which had somehow gained a sheath and was now belted to his back. Not at all put off by it he weight now that he was in the water. He’d practically been born in the water. 

The bright green creatures rushed him but a few quick slashes took down two. The one remaining circled around and was about to attack again when another presence made itself known. The giant fish charged out of a dark hole close to the bottom of the underwater hall and nearly swallowed the other fish thing whole. Dark blood filled the water as it was torn apart by sharp teeth. Tidus didn’t really stop to think after that. He just turned around grabbed Harry from the surface and began swimming as fast as he could toward the nearest hole in the walls. Seeing that he was trying to escape the giant fish left the remains of its smaller counterpart and swam furiously after them. They where nearly there when it began to suck everything toward its mouth intending to swallow them. Harry soon began to add his own strength to their escape. He was running out of air and if they didn’t get up soon… working together they managed at last to swim through what had once been a window as the fish let up it’s attack and crashed against the frame behind them. The force of the pressure created by the strike sent them rushing into the water filled stairway beyond. 

Rain lashed the outer walls and flooded through open windows in a fine spray, soaking the stone corridors. The remains of a few tapestries rotted on the broken walls, and the wind blew through cracks, nearly freezing them as they dragged themselves out of the water. Shivering they started down the hall toward a door that was still largely intact. 

“This is so not my day.” Tidus muttered as he shouldered the heavy door open and pushed the fallen pillar on the other side making it roll off it precarious stand with a crash. They both winced at the sound as they studied the new place they’d found. 

“It’s cold.” Harry said, drawing his robe closer. The sound of his voice awakened the blonde to the fact that clouds where forming out of his breath. He looked to the center of the room and noticed a pile of logs that looked very much out of place in the room full of marble and stone. Some one had been here before them and Tidus could only hope they’d come again. In the mean time though…

“Just wait here.” He said, pulling the Summoner to the center of the room. “I’ll see what I can find.” Harry nodded numbly and sat down, drawing his legs close for warmth. Tidus watched him for a second before he turned and went to scrounge around one of the rooms that branched off the wide hall Harry sat in. His search turned up a few useful items. A bottle with some kind of green liquid, stones he recognized as flint and a bunch of wilted flours. He went about lighting the logs in the hall but they refused to light, even with the flowers as kindling, the flint was just to wet. 

“Ahhh Damn it!” he cursed as he smacked his own hand for nearly the fifth time. He heard Harry laugh faintly and turned around to set him on all fours beside him, looking down at the logs. 

“Let me try something.” He said and reached out a hand. His palm hovered a few inches away from the flowers and green eyes closed in concentration. A few minutes latter he jerked it back violently as a spark burst into life. Tidus quickly banished his shock and leaned down to blow on it, coaxing it to take hold on the wood. Once it was burning away the blonde leaned back on his heals and looked at the other teen. 

“How did you do that?” he asked. His tone wasn’t suspicious. He was used to Harry’s presence now and nothing could really shake his faith him the other teen now. Besides he was the only other person here and he was his only connection to Zanarkand, even if he’d just dropped into his lap a few hours before it had all started. No, he was just curious. Harry curled up again and stared into the fire. 

“I’m a Summoner.” He said as an explanation but it only served to confuse Tidus even more. 

“And what’s a Summoner?” He prompted. Harry let out a faint sigh.

“In my world we have magic, and the people who use it are called wizards. There are three main types of magic, White magic, Black magic and Summoning magic. Very few wizards can use Summoning magic and when they are found they are given the title of Summoner. Sometimes we become powerful enough that we can do magic without a staff or wand. Like I did in lighting the fire. Summoner’s aren’t usually offensive fighters though so they need people to protect them, the Guardians.” Tidus only looked slightly less confused but nodded nonetheless shrugging in a very ‘I’ll figure it out later’ way.

Harry cracked a faint smile and turned back to the flickering flames as Tidus flopped to the ground beside him and promptly shut his eyes. His belly grumbled angrily making Harry burst out laughing in spite of their grim situation. 

“I need food!” Tidus wailed in a childish manner. Harry looked down at his hands then concentrated but stopped with a shake of his head. He couldn’t conjure anything without is staff.

“That really can’t be helped.” He said sympathetically as his own stomach protested, but much quieter, after all, one can’t go through life with the Dursleys without developing the need to live on smaller amounts of food. After that they fell into a comfortable silence and Harry watched his new friend’s face as he drifted to sleep. It wasn’t long before he was caught in the grip of a dream. Harry did nothing; he wasn’t going to wake him. Sometimes, you needed to dream. 

Even if they hurt.

 

_____________________________________________________

 

_Tidus looked up defiantly at Auron standing in the doorway of the cabin. He didn't need Auron to make him feel even worse about the game. "What do you want?"_

_"It was a bad call," Auron replied, calm and emotionless as always. "Your team lost because of you."_

_"You came to say that?!" Even as the words left his mouth, he admitted to himself that Auron was right. But did he have to say it so bluntly, as if he didn't really care?_

_Auron stepped closer. He could not see the man's expression through the shaded glasses. "It's been...ten years." His voice sounded strange, much unlike it had ever been before. "I thought you'd be crying." The strange emotion passed his voice and he was typical Auron again. He made off out the door, leaving Tidus to yell after him._

_"Who, me?" Somewhere in the haze of his mind as Tidus watched his own dream he recognized the hooded child that appeared in Auron’s wake._

_"You cried."_

 

_____________________________________________________

 

Tidus shot upright as he woke with a start. The words of that kid rang in his ears mockingly as he shook his head, trying to banish the memory. It had been one of the memories he’d locked away, one of the ones awakened by his encounter with Sin, and they still hurt, more now than ever. He’d denied himself the chance to cry. He’d wanted to, but he just couldn’t. He couldn’t let his father get the better of him, even if he was dead. Harry was out cold beside him, having possibly drifted off after he had. Tidus shook his shoulder gently.

“Hey Harry, wake up!” The green eyed boy gave him a bleary eyed look as he woke and glanced at something behind him that jolted him to full awareness. 

“Tidus! The fire!” The blonde looked around and to his horror noticed that the fire had burned to embers while they’d been sleeping. 

“Hey!” He cried out and crouched down before it. “Shit! Don’t go out on me!” He moaned looking around for something else to keep the flame going but there was nothing. Before their eyes it burned out. Tidus cursed. The temperature dropped rapidly after the fire died. Harry stood just after Tidus had reached his feet but then a new problem presented itself in the form of a strange beast. 

“This really, really, really isn’t my day.” The blonde ground out once more as he drew the blade on his back and shoved Harry behind him. 

“Be careful with this one Tidus.” The currently vulnerable Summoner spoke in a quiet tone. “This is stronger than those things in Zanarkand. There used to be some in the forests back at Hogwarts.” Tidus made a mental note to ask him what Hogwarts was but didn’t give it anymore thought as the Fiend struck. Unable to dodge it Tidus blocked with his sword. Heaving it back the beast screeched in pain. The blade had caught a gap in it’s armour, but the move had cost Tidus his advantage sending him sprawling, forcing Harry to skip out of the way. The teen looked over Tidus and brought up his hands praying some spell would work before an explosion caught him by surprise from behind. The Fiend recoiled and backed away and Tidus had time to get up again as five new arrivals stepped into the hall. 

They where all prepared for diving conditions clad in wetsuits and goggles. Most of them held weapons of some sort but their leader, who looked distinctly female, held nothing. The fiend crept forward again and went into a position to strike but Harry tore his eyes away from the newcomers in time to see it and gave a shout. Tidus span on his toes and slashed out in a wide arc. It glanced off the fiend’s armored hide and caught its tail as it swung over its head. There was a brief spray of gore and Tidus made a face before the tail he’d lopped off vanished in the same motes of light the sin spawn had. While it was down the female in the red wetsuit pulled an object out of a pouch at her side and threw it right into the jumble of limbs. Seconds later Harry had a chance to see what it was before it exploded. 

“A grenade?” he wondered to himself, getting a look from Tidus who shifted uncomfortably as the strangers attention was drawn to them. The girl pulled off her goggles and studied both of them as the men with her closed in unnoticed and grabbed them. Harry held by one, Tidus nearly squashed between two. 

“Hey! Lemme Go!” Tidus gave the indignant shout as he tried to loosen the grip on his arm. The remaining man took aim for his head and Tidus looked at him startled. He squinted at him from behind his goggles. 

_“Fryd yna Draca?”_ (1) Neither Harry or Tidus understood the language but it was clear that they’d have trouble getting out of this.

_“Drao yna fiends! Eh risyh techieca! Oac! Ed ec cu!”_ (2) Tidus tensed noticeably when one put a knife at Harry’s throat and spoke, but it was about then, while the green eyed boy stood almost limply in his grasp that he noticed something significant. The one holding Harry also had his staff!

_“Fa gemm Dras?”_ (3) No one noticed Harry’s hand creeping slowly toward the man’s belt where the plain ebony staff hung innocently by the small black tassel at one end. 

_“Fyed!”_ (4) The female finally broke into the alien conversation urgently. _“Fryd ev Drao yna risyh?”_ (5) The one with the knife gave her a cool look, waving the blade.

_“Drao yna dra cusa eh taydr.”_ (6)

_“E vunpet ed!”_ (7) She gave a small growl as her voice rose. _“Fa pnehk dras fedr ic.”_ (8) She moved forward and the men stepped away from Tidus as she whispered something he didn’t understand. 

_“Cunno,”_ (9) Before he could even begin to wonder what it meant a knee to his guts sent him down and out but even as he crashed to the ground, his vision fading, Harry made his move. Deft fingers grabbed the staff and yanked hard, sending his captor sprawling as he pulled away and fell into a defensive crouch by the blackened crater that was the only indication of the fiend that had been there just minutes previously. 

_“RYMD!”_ (10) The three standing men yelled out, pointing their weapons at him. Harry gave them a dirty look and focused on his staff, seconds later they all felt the tingle of a strange spell running through them. 

 

__________________________________  
A/N: a quick note, now that Harry has used a translating spell the translations for speech in Al Bhed with be written after it.  
__________________________________

 

_“Fryd dra ramm tet oui tu dryd vun?” What the hell did you do that for?_ His words, much to the surprise of the strangers, came out in their language. 

_“Fryd yna oui?” What are you?_ One of the men demanded, heedless of Harry’s own question. Harry just closed his eyes to calm his frayed nerves and glared up at him. Hoping that pulling rank might help somewhat even if he wasn’t in his world anymore.

_“E ys y Summoner, yht oui zicd ghulgat uid so kiynteyh.” I am a Summoner, and you just knocked out my guardian._ With those words the tension merely melted out of the air and was replaced by shock.

_“Y Summoner?” A Summoner?_ The girl piped up at last. _“Fro teth’d oui cyo su?” Why didn’t you say so?_ Harry gave her a withering look as two men slung their guns over their shoulders and picked up Tidus. One stopped to gather the blonde’s sword from where it had fallen and re-sheathed it. 

_“Lusa uh, madc kad pylg du dra creb.” Come on, lets get back to the ship._ The man Harry had dumped to the floor grunted out in what sounded like embarrassment. The girl gave him a look of her own before she beckoned Harry to follow and began to lead the way back the way they’d come in silence.

 

____________________________________________________________

 

When Tidus next woke it was far more pleasant than the manner in which he’d been knocked out. The air wasn’t as cold but he could still feel the wind on his face. He was outside from what he could tell. He opened his eyes and found himself looking up into a glowing green pair that hovered above him. 

“It’s about time you woke up.” Harry’s smile was bright in spite of the situation they’d been in earlier. “Rikku wanted to apologize for what she did earlier, but you’ve slept through the whole trip.” Tidus registered the fact he had his head in the Summoner’s lap and sat up, swinging around to face him, rubbing the place where the girl had kneed him. 

“Who’s Rikku?” He asked wincing, that was going to leave a bruise.

“I am!” He jumped as the girl, who he hadn’t noticed before, bounced forward cheerfully. “I can tell you, it was a surprise when we found out _oui_ where a guardian, everyone else kept calling _oui_ a fiend.”

“We?” Tidus asked in confusion. 

“It mean’s ‘You’ in Al Bhed.” The blonde leaned back against the crates that had been tied down to the deck. 

“So that’s what you are, an Al Bhed?” Rikku was surprised.

“You didn’t know? But you’re a guardian! Guardians have to know what Al Bhed are! Most of them are Al Bhed haters.” Tidus gave her what was quickly becoming his trademark confused look. 

“I don’t even know what the Al Bhed are so how can I hate them?” he asked. “Besides I grew up in Zanarkand, we didn’t really get a lot of people visiting the city.” Rikku looked at him as though he was mad. 

“What?” He asked, “Did I say something wrong?” The other blonde was about to reply when the angry ramblings of the other Al Bhed echoed from the large hatch at one end of the deck. Rikku turned around and forgot the conversation in favor of the new one.

_“Fa lyh’d caht Rikku tufh drana ymuha!”_ a smaller man was protesting to a larger one. The bigger Al Bhed was obviously the Captain of the ship. 

_“Famm ihmacc oui fyhd du syga dra vencd teja cra’c kuehk.”_ He turned to Rikku and asked. _“Yna oui nayto du ko?”_ Out of the spotlight Tidus leaned over to whisper in Harry’s ear.

“What exactly are they saying?” He asked curiously. Harry looked back and forth between the Al Bhed and then spoke from the corner of his mouth as Rikku replied. 

_“Oac, Cen!”_

“The Al Bhed doesn’t want Rikku to go alone on the first dive but the captain says that unless he wants to go she’ll have to go alone.” Tidus looked at the group as Rikku made preparations to go overboard. 

“Hey, can you tell them I’ll help?” Harry nodded as they got to their feet. 

_“Rikku! Fyed! Tidus lyh ramb!”_ Rikku looked at the captain before he nodded and Rikku beckoned to the blitzer and dove. Tidus joined her in the water and she told him what they where doing. 

"We found some ancient ruins right beneath us. It's not active now, but there should still be some power left. We're gonna go down there and activate it...and then we should be able to salvage the big prize!" She chirped quite happily. “Just follow my lead okay!” Tidus nodded as they dove under. A large chain was their guide to the ruins perched on an ocean cliff. Once they reached it Rikku made straight for a hole in one wall and slid through it easily, Tidus however had to squeeze through. Once inside Tidus found he recognized the controls. They where pretty simple by Zanarkand’s standards, very primitive, so he had no trouble in helping Rikku get the generator up and running. 

The water filled with the buzz of electricity and outside floodlights snapped on, revealing a large object on the ocean floor. Wanting to see what it was Rikku made for the hole in the wall once more but stopped when she saw that something had beaten them to it. A tentacle waving and very cranky oceanic fiend charged them. The pair swam around into an area with better light before they turned around, ready for battle. Twice while Tidus had it distracted Rikku ducked in and grabbed something that had been attached to the shell on its back. Tidus realized what it was a moment later when she threw them back at it, making the grenades explode. Its shell cracked and it tried to swim away but Rikku went after it. Tidus would have just left it but what the he, might as well make sure it wouldn’t get anyone else. 

He took the other way around the power core they’d been fighting by and caught the squid by surprise. Ending its life with a stab through the gap in its shell while Rikku had it distracted. He gave her a little wave and pointed to the gap, ladies first after all. He got the distinct feeling Rikku might have tried to hit him if she knew that was what he was thinking. They swam deeper into the small ocean crevice and Tidus couldn’t help gapping at what lay below him. It was a ship of some sort, very different from most designs but the mechanics where unmistakable. 

Many other Al Bhed passed them as they rose to the surface, most hauling the equipment that would help them in bringing it to the surface. Tidus climbed back onto the deck of the ship and flopped down beside where Harry sat on a box someone had found for him. Harry’s green eyes laughed at him. 

“You can go inside you know.” He said nodding a head to the door. Tidus just flopped pathetically against the deck.

“Nah.” He drawled lazily. “I don’t feel like getting up.” Harry shrugged down at him before looking out at where the Al Bhed salvagers where working tirelessly to get their prize to the surface. A few came out on deck once it had been hauled up onto the ship and stared at it. 

_“Fa vuiht dra airship.” We found the Airship._ Tidus only listened to the unusual language half heartedly as he stomach grumbled again. It was more of a concern to him at the moment then what they had to say about the salvaged machinery. 

_“Dra nalunct fana nekrd.” The records where right._ Another agreed with the first speaker. 

_“Huf, ruf du tnyk ed Rusa.” Now, how to drag it home?_ The three laughed and went back inside, leaving the hatch open for them but Tidus and Harry decided to stay there a while longer. Nearly half an hour later when most of the Al Bhed had returned to the ship Rikku emerged from it’s bowels and immediately made herself Tidus’s favorite person in the world.

She’d brought food.

“Right on!” Tidus cheered to himself and leapt at it like a starving wolf. He’d mowed through half the tray before he had to bang himself on the chest to dislodge a stubborn chunk of meat that hadn’t gone down like the rest of it. Rikku was about to hand him her canteen but Harry beat her to it. Conjuring a glass of water out of thin air and handing it to the blonde. He gulped that down almost as quickly as he had the food. Rikku just stared at Harry after that as Tidus didn’t even look at him and handed the glass back before he ripped into the leftovers of his very messy meal. 

“Done now?” Harry asked as he finally sat back and pushed away the tray, giving out a very loud and powerful belch. Rikku wrinkled her nose in disgust. 

“Ewww! You’re worse than my brothers!” She squealed. Tidus just smirked in her direction as she sat down on the deck beside them. 

“So, tell me all about Zanarkand.” She said, looking at Tidus. The blonde did so and Harry got the feeling that he was venting more than anything as he recounted everything that had happened the day Sin attacked. Rikku gave him a strange look.

“You got close to Sin?” She asked peering at them both. “And your not sick?” 

“Sick?” Harry looked at her. She hadn’t even asked him where he’d come from, simply assuming she thought he was from Zanarkand too. 

“Sin’s Toxin.” Rikku explained. “People get sick or their heads go funny when they get to close. Sometimes they even forget everything.” Tidus looked away. That certainly hadn’t been the case for him. He remembered everything. 

“So is Zanarkand very far away from here?” He asked looking at the girl. Although she wasn’t really a girl, she was more their age than anything. Rikku really did give him a funny look this time.

“Maybe that Toxin did effect you after all.” She said shaking her head. 

“Zanarkand has been rubble for the last thousand years.” Tidus felt his jaw drop, he just didn’t want to believe it. 

“What?” he asked, wondering if he’d heard wrong. 

“Zanarkand, it was destroyed a thousand years ago so I don’t really understand how you could have seen it destroyed. Oh and you’d best be careful who you tell about all this.” She cautioned them. “Some people think that the ruins of Zanarkand are a holy place so you might upset someone.” They fell into silence but even as Rikku stood to make her way back inside Harry got an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. His knuckles went white around the staff in his hands and this time those with him noticed. 

“What’s wrong?” Rikku asked even as pain exploded in his head. Something was close and his curse scar on his forehead was burning. 

“I think… I think its Sin.” He managed to choke out the words before the boat rocked on a sudden and violent wave. Tidus shouted out in surprise as he grabbed both Rikku and Harry putting his back to a large container that was still tied to the deck.

“Sin!” A few Al Bhed with weapons had emerged from the hatch and began to fire upon the huge shape that emerged from the sea.. _“Sin ryc lusa!”_ A wave flooded the deck even as Tidus lost his footing but not his hold on Harry. They went sliding as the ship tipped over and where joined by Rikku when her handhold slipped. With a shriek from the girl and the Al Bhed behind them they went over the edge and into the dark churning waters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Al Bhed translations:  
> 1\. What are these?  
> 2\. They are fiends! In human disguise! Yes! It is so!  
> 3\. We kill them?  
> 4\. Wait!  
> 5\. What if they are human  
> 6\. They are the some in death.  
> 7\. I forbid it!  
> 8\. We bring them with us.  
> 9\. Sorry  
> 10\. HALT!
> 
> If you wanna know what's being said and I haven't translated it, you can use this site to check it out.  
> http://stefangagne.com/albhed.html


	3. Learning Experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tidus just tries to go along with it.

The first thought that filtered to his waterlogged brain as Tidus once again woke was that if he ever found Sin again he’d beat it within an inch of its life. That was at least before a well aimed something hit him on the top of his head, awakening him to the fact that he was floating face down in the water. He flung himself toward the surface and gasped for air as a blitzball floated past his face. A shout got his attention and he turned around from the endless sea and saw a tropical island rising from the water. On the beach was a group of people and the tallest, a red head, was waving at him.

“Hey! You okay?” Tidus looked from side to side and noticed that he was holding a large piece of black material and it took a moment for him to realise it was Harry’s robe. He was about to curse when the blitzball floated past him once more. Letting go of the robe for a moment he dove beneath it and surged at it, head butting it before flipping and sending it rocketing toward the shore. The blitzers ducked for cover as it soared into their midst, to fast for them to even attempt to catch it. 

Hello misdirected aggression!

The red head followed its path back to the teen in the water who had begun to swim toward the shore.

“Whoa-oh!” He breathed out in slight awe, who ever he was he was a very good shot. Tidus swam up to them and dragged himself out of the water, he didn’t know whether he wanted to kick something or cry as he looked at the robe he’d pulled with him. Harry must have slipped out of it when they’d been thrown around. 

“Please let him be with Rikku.” He muttered to himself as the blitzers all ran up to him. A few of the other players hung back when they noticed the sword strapped to his back. To tell the truth though Tidus didn’t like it there, the only reason he hadn’t complained about it so far was because he’d either been to tired or to hungry to care about the hilt digging into his back. He finally faced them and took the time to look them over while their leader was occupied. They all wore the same uniform. Baggy yellow pants that where belted to their legs, blue shorts and suspenders. Some wore shirts, others didn’t but in the tropical environment it wouldn’t have really mattered. 

Finally the red head turned around and blinked in surprise when he got his first good look at him. His hair, a bright ginger coloured spike that stood right up on his head before it curled back, didn’t even move as he shook his head to clear it. 

“Uh, hi?” Tidus stuck the hand holding the robe behind his back and gave them a nervous little wave. Uncharacteristic, especially for him, but he didn’t even know where he was let alone if these people where nice, they where, after all, staring at him like they’d never seen a Blitzballer before. The red head gave a nervous cough and an equally as nervous smile in return. 

“Uh…. You wanna… try that move… one more time?” Tidus stared at him recognising a faint accent. Nervous really didn’t look good on him. He struck him as the type who would goof off given a chance.

“Sure.” The blonde said at last, unstrapping the sword from his back so he could get at it better and dropping the robe beside it. One of the others headed a ball to him and Tidus sent it high into the air before leaping after it and kicking it out toward the sea, putting as much of his leftover frustration at loosing Harry and Rikku behind it. It sailed over the horizon and Tidus was certain that they’d probably never see that ball again. He landed lightly on the sand and picked up his sword. The players had looks of pure amazement on their faces while the redhead stood with his arms crossed over his chest. 

“You’re no amateur. What team do you play for?” Tidus just shook his head. 

“I used to play for a team but I don’t play anymore.” It was after that he remembered Rikku’s warning about Zanarkand and thanked the stars that he hadn’t let something embarrassing slip, like he played for the Zanarkand Abes or something.

“Why?” the man asked, harsher than he’d intended. “You’re good, really good. Why don’t you play?” Tidus just shook his head and backed up a step.

“My team is gone.” He said, waving his hands in a vague warding gesture. “…And I have other thing’s to worry about now, like finding my Summoner.” 

“Summoner?” came the incredulous response. Tidus nodded.

“Yeah, when Sin attacked the ship we where on Harry got washed overboard with me and Rikku. He hasn’t washed up here has he?” Tidus asked hopefully. The blitzer shook his head mutely and Tidus sagged slightly. Carefully he knelt and folded the robe into a small bundle and secured it behind the sheath on his back. The man watched him a moment before he let his serious look drop a little.

“Well, you encountered Sin and you’re still alive. Praise be to Yevon.” A he said that the entire group made the Blitzball sign for victory. Tidus just watched them, his face twisted in confusion. Why would they be making that at a time like this? While he thought about it the red head turned back to his team. 

“ALL RIGHT! BACK TO PRACTICE!” He gave a small roar and the blitzers nearly jumped out of their skins in shock before they hopped to it. As they stumbled around the beach after balls that went flying left, right and centre Tidus had to suppress the urge to wince, they where just plain bad. Red turned back to him and gripped his hand in greeting. 

“I’m Wakka, coach and captain of the Besaid Aurochs, brudda.” Tidus gripped his hand in return before he let go. 

“I’m Tidus.” He didn’t mention anything else and he didn’t really need to as his stomach took that moment to interrupt loudly. The grumbling noise echoed through the air around them. Wakka began to laugh.

“What? You hungry? Okay!” He said enthusiastically, almost as sickeningly bright as Rikku was. “Back to the village!” He proclaimed. “I’ll get you somethin’!” Tidus followed a little behind as Wakka lead him toward a gap in the foliage that started where the sand ended. Tidus resisted the urge to ask about Zanarkand. Harry had told him that where he came from Zanarkand hadn’t even existed so what was to say that this Zanarkand wasn’t even his own? Instead he looked around and took in the sight of the overgrown ruins that littered the island. 

“There are so many ruins here.” He said more to himself than anything but Wakka spoke up anyway. 

“A long time ago there where a whole lot of cities in Spira yanno? Even on this island all the way out here. They say that people played all day and let the machina do the work. But you know what happened. Sin came along and destroyed all da’ machina cities and Zanarkand along with them a thousand years ago.” Wakka didn’t stop there though, he went on speaking like it was an old rant he’d learnt to repeat over and over again in its entirety. “If you ask me, Sin’s out punishment for letting things get out of hand. What gets me, though, is that we gotta suffer ‘cause of what some goofballs did way back when!’ Course, we must always repent for our sins! That’s Important! It’s just that it’s hard to keep at it sometimes, you know?” He looked at Tidus briefly but went on muttering to himself, letting the subject drop. The blonde was glad he didn’t have to answer. Even though they seemed to accept things at face value Tidus didn’t really feel like showing just how little he knew of this world. Rikku had told him some of the basics but Wakka was painting a very different picture. 

‘Who’s right then?’ he thought to himself. The red head chuckled suddenly.

“Ha! I just thought, a team like the Zanarkand Abes! They must have been soft ya, with all that machina.” The words, totally random and completely innocent brought about a pang of hurt. He missed his home already and that comment certainly hadn’t helped. If he hadn’t already seen that Sin had laid waste to Zanarkand with his own eyes he would have probably denied all this. Even so he tried not to think about home. It was hard, very hard, but them his thoughts turned to Harry and Zanarkand faded away. Harry knew what it was like. He’d been thrown out of place and out of time. The blonde began to feel a little better after that…

“Hey it’s this way!” Wakka said from up ahead. Tidus followed, taking in his surroundings and had to stop abruptly when he nearly walked off a cliff. A lagoon lay below them. A beautiful sight really, but Tidus was in no position to enjoy it. 

Wakka had just pushed him in.

He let out a shout before he went into automatic and dived. He surfaced quickly and Wakka jumped in after him laughing before he hit the water and came up grinning. 

“What’s the big idea!?” Tidus spluttered. Wakka chuckled and dived out of sight. Tidus growled as he looked around, going as still in the water as he could. Unfortunately he sensed the vibrations in the water too late and next thing he knew he had an arm around his throat. 

“Hey! Lemme go!” It was the Al Bhed all over again. 

“I got a favour to ask ya,” Wakka breathed out by his ear. Tidus felt his arms loosen their grip slightly but they still held tight. It took a moment for him to realise what it was the other blitzer wanted. 

“You want me to play on your team, right?” Tidus gasped out and abruptly Wakka let him go. Spinning quickly in the water Tidus backed up and put some distance between them. 

‘Way to close for comfort.’ He thought to himself as he regained his breath. 

“A major blitz tournament is coming up in Luca. All the teams in Spira’ll be there! It’s so huge, I’m sure your summoner will be there somewhere as well, but until you find him you can play for us!” As he talked they began to swim along the lagoon. Tidus watched the fish dart away from them as they passed before he answered. 

“Alright.” He said, closing his eyes and turning on his back to float. “Just until we find Harry.” 

“Dude!” Wakka burst out excitedly as he lead him to a place where they could pull themselves up the rocks that lined the lagoon. “Our team is gonna rock, eh?” Tidus didn’t answer. ‘Sin and blitzball are the only things our worlds have in common.’ He thought as they walked up a path toward the hilltop. A makeshift fence made of rope and wood was the only divide between them and a drastic drop. At the bottom of the slope was a small village. 

“This is where I was born,” Wakka said proudly, sweeping his arm out toward the circle of buildings amid the trees. “I started blitz when I was five. I joined the Aurochs at thirteen… teen years ago. Ten years... and we never won a game.” Somehow Tidus had no trouble believing that. Especially after the performance he’d seen on the beach. “Well, after last year’s tournament, I quit. Time seemed right.” The red head finished before he turned and began to walk down another path that led down the hill. Tidus had to run to keep up with his long strides on the downward incline.

“So after quitting I got this new job, ya, actually it was as a guardian, ya, but every time I tried to do it my mind wondered to the game.” 

“Ten years without a win’ll do that.” Tidus knew that all to well. While he was younger and still in his father’s shadow it had frustrated him to no end that he never seemed to become better at blitzball. It had become his obsession to prove his father wrong. That he really could be the best. Wakka didn’t know that though and just grunted. 

“My first match last year was my big chance. But something else was on my mind. I couldn’t focus.” Tidus couldn’t help it when he let slip with his next comment.

“Nice excuse.” He muttered, however low it had been Wakka still heard it. 

“Hey, Hey!” He shrugged back. An uncomfortable silence fell and Tidus felt the need to break it. 

“So you want to win the next tournament – go out with a bang?” Wakka stopped and turned to face him, nodding. Tidus worked up his enthusiasm. If he was going to help them win this thing, it was going to take a hell of a lot of work on his part. 

“So what’s our goal?” He asked brightly. 

“I don’t care how we do, long as we do our best. If we give it out all, I can walk away happy.” Tidus mentally gagged and resited the urge to roll his eyes. The islander’s intentions might have been all good and pure but if he kept thinking that way they’d never win! Like come on! This was Blitzball they where talking about!

“No, no, no, no, no. If I say, ‘What’s our goal?’ you say, ‘Victory!’ When you play in a Blitzball tournament, you play to win!” The look on Wakka’s face could only have been called stupid.

“Victory? You serious?” Tidus nodded quickly as they resumed walking down the slope. They hadn’t gone far when they came across someone new. 

“Ah, the one from the sea.” The man said knowledgeably as he looked at Tidus. The blonde took a good look at who he was speaking to. The man had red hair and purple pants with gold linings. Leather sandals and armour covered his feet and chest respectively. Not a moment later a second man stepped out from behind him. He was much shorter with a darker complexion than his friend. 

“Be on guard,” The short one said loudly. “There’s fiends on the road today!” If Tidus didn’t know any better he’d say he was excited about it. 

“After surviving your run in with Sin, ‘twould be a shame if something happened now.” Tidus didn’t even get to ask how they already knew about that before they turned and marched away. 

“Who where they?” Tidus asked almost dumbly.

“Luzzu and Gatta – They’re Crusaders, couldn’t you tell?”

“Crews of what?” Tidus asked again. Wakka gave him a look. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked, poking him. “How can you be a guardian and not know about the crusaders? Sin must have messed with your head after all, but don’t worry, I’ll help you out.” 

“Cool.” Tidus muttered, but didn’t really mean it. Wakka, who was already distracted didn’t notice. 

“Oh and about the Crusaders, you can ask them yourself, they’ve got a lodge in the village.” Wakka nearly dragged him the last few feet to the gates that stood at the end of the path. 

“Besaid Village!” Wakka announced as they entered, waving an arm over the encampment of cloth tents that surrounded a relatively large building that stood opposite the gate. The blonde’s stomach rumbled again. 

“You got any food it there?” He asked not in the least embarrassed. Wakka chuckled and pointed to a tent off to one side.

“That’s my place, we can get you something from there later but first… just so we can be sure you haven’t forgotten everything… You remember the prayer, right?” He was making little circles with his hands and Tidus thought back to the beach where they’d all made the Blitzball sign for victory. 

“Oh you mean this?” He fluidly went through the moves. It had been a thing for the fan’s really but after a while the blitzers had used it as a kind of unofficial greeting, although, used under extreme protest most of the time. Wakka let out a faint sigh of relief.

“That’s good, ya. I though for a moment there I’d have to teach you, yanno?” Tidus gave him a faintly irritated look that the other blitzer missed completely as he clapped him on the shoulder. “Now go and see the temple summoner, if anyone will know about your summoner it will be him.” Tidus nodded mutely as the Aurochs Captain swaggered off into the village leaving him to fend for himself. 

So much for helping.

Tidus wondered into the village, careful not to get to close to those who wondered from tent to tent. He made his way along the path toward what he guessed was the temple. The main hall rang with a chant from some invisible singer and the walls where shrouded in shadows by the statues that stood around the edge of the floor. The ceiling vanished into darkness and a set of stairs lead up to a door that was sealed by a symbol. Villagers stood or knelt, praying to the statues around the hall and the blonde could feel the cold eyes of the statues following him. Tidus watched them all for some time before a monk approached him from behind.

“It’s been ten years since Lord Braska became high summoner and we’ve only just received a statue for our temple.” Tidus stared at the statue the monk was looking at. 

“I am a guardian to a summoner.” He let slip, more by accident than anything else. The monk looked faintly surprised. 

“You’re a guardian?” Tidus scowled and nodded, why did everyone seem so surprised by that? “Where is your summoner?” The monk asked eagerly. “There’s another currently in the cloister of trials but they will be able to enter soon.” The blonde shook his head. 

“No, Harry isn’t here and that’s why I am.” He said, returning his gaze to the statue. “Sin caught up with us in some ruins and washed us into the sea. I woke up this morning face down in the water near the beach, alone.” The Monk looked at him, understanding dawning in his face. 

“I’m sorry to say that there have been no other summoners visiting the temple for weeks.” Tidus found his face falling in spite of himself. He remembered what Wakka had said about the Blitzball tournament in Luca, Harry knew he was a player in Zanarkand and so did Rikku, hopefully they would have begun to make their way there. 

“When’s the next boat that goes toward Luca?” He asked, hoping he could get there quickly. The monk frowned briefly while he thought. 

“The next boat goes tomorrow morning. The Lady Summoner Yuna will also be going by Luca. You will have to change boats at Kilika but you should have no problem. May you have luck in finding your friend, Summoners are all the hope our people have left.” Tidus nodded and turned to leave, the monk made the prayer at his back and the blonde left the temple to go in search of Wakka. His stomach protesting even more for not going with the red head earlier. It wasn’t hard to find him. He was sitting at a low table with a fire pit to one side of him. 

The red head gave him a semi-sympathetic look at he entered. He jerked his head toward the bed behind him. 

“Sorry, man. No time for lunch yet, take a nap, you look bushed.” Tidus nodded tiredly. He really couldn’t refute that, after all the only kind of rest he’d gotten was while he was unconscious and that didn’t really count as sleep.

“Thanks.” He said as he shrugged off his sword once more and set it upright next to the bed before he grabbed the folded robe and flopped onto it, rolling to his side, his back facing the room. Not the best way to sleep for someone who was steadily becoming more paranoid, but it had to do. He was drifting on the edges of sleep when someone else entered the tent. Wakka got up from the table to meet them and Tidus snapped back to a more alert state.

"You could at least go see how they are doing," the monk was saying in a low voice.

"We can't interfere," Wakka protested. "It's a rule."

"But, it's been nearly..." Their voices faded away as sleep reached out to grab his mind and dragged it away from the waking world. Instead he found himself standing in another dream. Another memory.

 

_________________________________________________

 

_"It's been nearly a day already," the man said wearily._

_"Perhaps you could go look for us?” The brown haired woman before him pleaded._

_"People are searching for him now," the man replied, and turned to go._

_"Thank you." the woman Tidus now recognized as his mother said quietly as they left the boat. Tidus turned to see himself approach. The child that walked in his dream came as a slight shock, had he really looked so much like his father before he’d changed everything he had?_

_"Who cares whether he comes back or not?" he said in a voice that trembled. Even though he recalled everything, the cause of that tremble was beyond him. His mother knelt down to look him in the eye.  
"But he might die!"_

_"Fine, let him!" Tidus retorted._

_"Do you...do you hate him so?"_

_The boy nodded fervently._

_"But if he dies, you'll never be able to tell him how much you hate him." Every word was costing her, and tears sprang into her eyes. It was as his child self turned away that the dream began to fade…_

 

_________________________________________________

 

Tidus woke late in the evening and nearly cursed himself for missing lunch. He wondered where Wakka was for a moment before he recognised the Blitzball captain’s loud laugh. Rubbing his eyes tiredly he got out of the bed and grabbed his sword. Even if he was in the village he didn’t just want to leave it lying around. Everything secured he pushed aside the tent flap and looked out at the roaring bonfire that had been lit in the centre of the courtyard outside the temple. Children where running around it laughing, and the entire Blitzball team was huddled around Wakka off to one side. A large lion like creature that stood in it’s hind legs was looming protectively behind a group of people and a much darker looking woman with a very revealing dress sat stoically to one side. 

As he approached the villagers Wakka looked over and grinned. 

“Hey! Over here ya!” The shout had gotten the attention of quite a few of the villagers who all looked at him as if he where some strange curio. Wakka slung an arm around his shoulders and dragging him closer to the team. 

“This guy here, want’s into the tournament so bad, I let him on the team.” Wakka said, fooling around before Tidus unobtrusively distanced himself from the nearly hyper man. Tidus looked at the red head and shook his head. The prospect that they might actually win a match was just too much for him. “Although, whatever he might say his head’s still a little fuzzy from Sin.” Tidus really did give him a dirty look then but it just bounced right off Wakka’s thick skull as the team looked to him. 

“So what’s our goal?” He asked the team at large. 

“To do our best!” Tidus found himself blinking in disbelief, the whole team had the same problem as Wakka. The captain however spoke up.

“Nope, we got a new goal now! Our new goal… is victory! To win every match, defeat every opposing team! To bring back the crystal Cup back to our island! That’s all we need to do to win! Easy, ya?” Tidus couldn’t help but give a little laugh as the whole team took up the cry of, 

“Victory! Victory! Victory!” Giving the enthusiastic team a wave he moved out of their midst and took a look around the bonfire before settling on a stack of bundled fire wood of to one side, not far from where the dark haired woman sat. He leaned back slightly and was about to drift off again when she spoke.

“So you are the guardian who encountered sin.” Her voice had a mocking sort of quality to it as she looked at him like some kind of fiend eyeing dinner. “Wakka has had much to say about you.” Tidus gave her a confused look.

“He has?” Now that sounded more like himself. 

“Oh yes, he and the crusaders are all itching to speak with you, after all, not many have lived through an encounter with Sin. Although I’m afraid you have caught Yuna’s attention as well.” The blonde’s head tipped to one side in a questioning look.

“Eh? Yuna?” She nodded her head toward a group of people on the ground before them. A girl with ashen coloured hair sat there with a group of children and a few older villagers. 

“Yuna, she’s the summoner I guard. She summoned her first Aeon today but Wakka told me you where still sleeping and no one wanted to wake you.” Tidus watched her for a moment before looking back at the other guardian to see her watching him again. 

“Don’t go getting any idea’s.” She warned ominously and Tidus nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Hey! I don’t even know her and besides I don’t even like girls!” He said in a rush to placate her and it wasn’t until he saw her faintly shocked look that he registered what he’d blurted out. 

“Meep!” His hand’s shot to cover his own mouth and the woman actually chuckled. 

“Don’t let Wakka hear you say that.” She warned, a smirk still lingering on her face as she turned away. Tidus let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He sat there for a long while just staring into the fire, thinking. Harry had been on his mind a lot; he’d never really questioned the presence of the dark haired boy that had literally fallen into his lap. The last few days had just rushed by and for a good part of that time Harry had been with him. It had felt right in some twisted way, but he hadn’t realised that until they’d been separated again. But the feeling in his guts was telling him he was heading in the right direction. If he just kept going with these people it wouldn’t be long before they met up again. 

He was broken from his thoughts by yet another voice. 

“Uh, hello?” He looked up to see the summoner standing over him. 

“Hello.” He returned the greeting and the girl, probably only about a year younger than Harry and himself, plonked herself down on the stack of wood next to his. He could feel the eyes of her guardians on him as she tried to start a conversation. 

“I heard you lost your summoner in an encounter with Sin.” She began almost sadly. Tidus gave a half smile. 

“I didn’t ‘loose’ him.” He answered, looking her in the eye and making her blush. “He’s still alive.” Yuna was staring at him now. 

“How do you know?” She asked, curious. Just out of sight he heard the female guardian shift her interest peaked. Tidus leaned back and his smile grew wider.

“I just know.” He answered in a rather whimsical tone. ”I hadn’t known him all that long but he has the kind of presence you can feel, even when he’s not there.” Yuna looked slightly awed. 

“He must be a very powerful summoner then.” Tidus shrugged. Harry had never really done any summoning before they where separated but he was powerful, he knew that much. At last he nodded.

“He’s good at magic, too.” Although he had acted like he hadn’t noticed when Harry had conjured things out of thin air he had in fact seen everything. There had been such a thing as magic in Zanarkand, it was just that with everything they already needed, they had no real drive to use it. A child ran up to Yuna, giving him a shifty look before bouncing up to the Summoner. 

“Lady Yuna, Play with me some more!” Yuna smiled back and nodded before she got to her feet brushing bark off her skirts. 

“So, tomorrow then?” She asked.

“Tomorrow?” 

“We’re going on the same boat, aren’t we?” Tidus remembered his plans and wondered who had told her… probably Wakka. 

“Oh, well sure then, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Yuna blushed when he flashed her a grin and wondered off. Once again Tidus slumped back, this time slapping his forehead. He’d seen enough screaming fan girls in his life time to realize when someone had a crush on him and apparently Lulu, as Wakka had let slip her name earlier, had noticed as well. The people around her scattered slightly as she burst out laughing.


	4. Kilika

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving along to the next stop.

_Tidus ran along the short dock, the only one on Besaid Island. At the very end, he saw Yuna standing there, looking anxiously out to sea._

_"Where's that boat?" he wanted to know._

_"Everyone will find us if it doesn't come soon."_

_"What?"_

_"Would you take me to Zanarkand?" Yuna turned to look at him, her strange eyes pleading with him. Tidus wondered how the hell she’d known about Zanarkand._

_Rikku ran up to them then. "Hey!" she protested. "You said you'd go with me!"_

_"Oh, hey...I, uh… where’s Harry?"_

_"I thought Lulu told you not to get any ideas?" Rikku went on regardless of the question._

_"She did?" Yuna turned away, obviously hurt._

_"Yeah," Rikku pressed on. "So you're coming with me!"_

_"Hey!" Jecht called from the beach. "Stop dreaming! You, with a woman? You can't even catch a ball!"_

_Tidus was a small boy of seven once more, crouching down, the tears beginning to flow his father was wrong, he didn’t even like girls._

_"Oh, what's the matter?" Jecht taunted. "Gonna cry again? Cry, cry. That's the only thing you're good for!"_

_"I hate you," Tidus said in a small voice._

_"Huh? What'd you say?" Jecht taunted loudly and suddenly there was a warm presence beside him. He looked up to see Harry crouched there his green eyes looking down at him clearer than they had been in real life and filled with a strange glow._

_“I hear you Tidus, I always have, but what you have to say, is for them.” Rikku had run around the beach and joined them smiling brightly but Yuna still stood on the beach beside his father._

_Tidus straightened up and said in a louder voice, "I hate you!"_

_"That's the spirit!" Rikku encouraged._

_"You can do it.” Harry said putting a hand on his shoulder._

 

_________________________________________________

 

“I HATE YOU!” 

He shot up from the bed where he’d been sleeping in the Crusaders lodge and panted slightly as the dream quickly began to fade in to the background. It wasn’t like the other dreams he’d had since coming to Spira. The memories… they’d felt different… but this… Harry had felt real. He reached up and griped his right shoulder. The blonde could almost feel the lingering hand before the feeling faded once more, leaving a faint tingle in his limbs. Unable to sleep anymore for fear of dreaming again Tidus threw back the sheets and got out of bed. It was amazing that his shout hadn’t woken anyone, yet the Crusaders slept on, undisturbed. Shaking his head in faint wonder he left the room and took a seat at the large wooden table that dominated the front area of the tent before dropping his head into his hands. It took him a while to realize that he could hear voices outside. 

Unable to help himself Tidus listened. 

“He’s dead, okay? Dead!” It was Lulu. The guardian who had laughed at him when he realized Yuna had a crush. Through the gap in the tent flaps he could just see the two figures standing by the dying bonfire.

“He does look a lot like Chappu,” Lulu went on almost scathingly. “I was surprised, too, the first time I saw him, but no matter what he looks like, he isn’t Chappu and however much you wish he was he’s never going to take his place.” 

“Yeah, but he needed our help… and you even laughed, ya?” Wakka offered weakly. 

“Excuses again?” Tidus silently winced. He almost felt sorry for Wakka. 

Almost. 

“I laughed because Yuna has a crush on him and the guardian obviously doesn’t return anything.” The dark haired woman nearly spat out. “And your idea to get him to come along with us in the hopes he will take Chappu’s place is just stupid!”

“Yeah… but…” Lulu nearly growled.

“That’s it! No more, enough Wakka!” She turned a stalked away from the bonfire toward another hut on the other side of the village. In the firelight Wakka slumped and turned to leave, dragging his feet toward his tent. Tidus watched him go before laying his head on the table and closing his eyes, but not sleeping. 

‘Well, at least I have an ally in Lulu… sort of…’ he thought to himself as he listened to his own breathing. He was still sitting there the next morning when the rest of the village finally woke. 

 

_________________________________________________

 

“I can’t believe you woke up before me!” Wakka was amazed the next morning to see Tidus lounging beside Sir Luzzu and Sir Gatta, talking. He’d finally gotten around to speaking with them and they’d been in the common area since what Tidus thought to be five, the Crusaders where certainly early risers. 

“It’s not hard Wakka.” Tidus said dryly, making the two other males in the room laugh. Wakka just gave a halting laugh and beckoned him toward the door. 

“Come on!” He said, the bright face returning. “You can follow us to the dock, we’re just waiting for Yuna.” Tidus followed him outside, sending a brief wave at Luzzu and Gatta. He noticed Lulu standing near the place the bonfire had been the night before and went to stand nearby. Wakka followed him and poked his tounge out at Lulu behind the blondes back before he called out.

“Hey! Tidus! Something I want to give you.” He pulled out a sword from behind his back. The blade was shaped like his own but instead of being made out of red metal it looked as if it was made of water. It glittered slightly in the morning sun and for a moment Tidus thought it would evaporate or fall apart. He took it from the red head who was smiling smugly. 

“Can’t have you using that old rusty thing, ne?” He nodded to the hilt that poked over the blonde blitzer’s shoulder. Tidus didn’t know what to think at that moment. The blade in his hands certainly looked alright and when he swung it casually it felt alright but something still nagged at him. The blade he already wore had been with him since Zanarkand and he’d already become used to its weight. In the end it was Lulu who made up his mind for him.

“That’s the sword you gave Chappu.” She said calmly and Tidus looked at her sharply. 

“Chappu?” he knew the man was dead so why was Wakka giving the sword to him?

“My little brother, Chappu. He looked like you.” Lulu gave a snort and Tidus stabbed the tip of the blade into the ground and stepped away so it stood there on it’s own. “He never used that sword either so it’s good as new.” Wakka said hurriedly when he saw what Tidus had done. 

“No.” The blonde said, taking another step. “I don’t need it. My sword is just fine.” Wakka gave him a look while Lulu smirked, the tables having turned.

“Where’s Yuna?” Wakka asked, quickly changing the subject. 

“We’re taking the same boat right?” Tidus asked, folding his arms over his chest. “Why do we gotta wait here?” He mentally winced at the slightly petulant tone before looking at Lulu for answers. 

“Yuna came to this village ten years ago, when the last Calm started.” She explained, Tidus nodded. The Crusaders had mentioned the Calm before. “Since then she’s been like our little sister to Wakka and myself.” Tidus nodded. “But she had the talent to become a Summoner. She became an apprentice and now she leaves as a full-fledged Summoner. This is our journey and we will start it together.” It was about then that Yuna emerged from the temple, dragging along a suitcase that was half her size. Lulu gave a faint sigh of resignation. 

“You really don’t need all that luggage!” She called out to the younger brunette. Yuna hurriedly let go of the handle and flushed bright red. 

“Ah… they’re not really my things. They’re gifts for the temples we’re to visit.”

“This isn’t a vacation Yuna.” Wakka said in a much softer tone then he normally used.

“I guess… I guess you’re right.” There was a faint tone of relief in her sad voice as she approached them. The large suitcase was forgotten on the path behind her as they set out along the road toward the beach. Wakka whooped in the background but Tidus could feel something was up. He slowed to a walk and looked around just in time to see a wolf leap out of the jungle. 

“Whoa!” He gasped out; hand going for his sword and by the time anyone had registered what had happened he’d slashed the fiend cleanly in half. The three who stood with him all blinked at the fast response. 

“Oh man, that was fast ya?” Wakka breathed out in disbelief as he eyed the red metal sword in his hand. The motes of light swirled around them briefly before they vanished up into the atmosphere. Tidus sheathed it again and scratched the back of his neck. 

“Heh…” Was all he managed to say as Lulu shook her head in exasperation. 

“Lets go.” She said. “We must be quick or the boat will leave without us.” They resumed their walk. The occasional fiend attacked them from ahead before they reached the hilltop. Birds they called Condors and large blue things made of jelly that Lulu referred to as a water flan. As they reached the top of the hill and made their prayers to the statue that stood there Tidus approached Lulu. 

“How was it you could do so much magic?” He asked. “Harry told me that spell casters have trouble using magic without a focus.” Lulu gave him a wry look. 

“I do have a focus.” She said holding up the large stuffed toy she’d been carrying with her since they’d left the village. “It is shaped as a Moogle. This is my focus for my spell casting, without it I couldn’t even begin to cast any of my spells.” Tidus gave a little ‘Oh’ of understanding and continued walking. She’d already mentioned the types of spells and the elemental weaknesses while they where going up the hill. A comfortable silence had fallen over the group as they took a path Tidus hadn’t seen on his way to the village. Passing under an impressive set of ruins he lagged behind and stared. Unfortunately there was still someone he had yet to meet. 

A steak of blue leapt from the cliff to the ruins and along the stones to the ground. The lion creature he’d been told was a Ronso, crouched before him on all fours, his tail right up in the air and his teeth bared in a menacing growl that gave Tidus the chills. His had strayed to the hilt of his sword but he didn’t draw it. Kimahri was supposed to be Yuna’s guardian, and if so, why was he growling at him? Even as the Ronso brought his spear out before him Wakka yelled along the path. 

“Hey!? What’s taking so long?” Tidus relaxed slightly and called ahead. 

“Nothing Wakka, just gimme a minute!” The glare Kimahri was giving him could have burned his head off. The blonde didn’t want to start any trouble so he slipped past him and jogged down the path, the growling warrior grudgingly following. The rest of the trip across the cliffs was relatively uneventful. At one point Yuna had to display her summoning ability, summoning a large bird she’d named Valefore to take care of one of the monstrous birds that had almost knocked them off the path. Then they reached the beach, only to find that nearly the entire village was already there. They cried and wept as Yuna made her way to the boat, Her guardians in tow. Tidus joined the blitz ballers as they made their way up the ramp and split off from them as the ship started to move and settled in for a long and boring trip.

 

_________________________________________________

 

Tidus tapped his fingers against his knees in irritation as he watched the other occupants of the cabin. He’d been right when he thought that it would be a monotonous trip. The boat rocked beneath him and if he closed his eyes he could almost imagine being back in Zanarkand on his boat and floating on the sea.

Almost.

His eyes flung open and he climbed to his feet. Pent up energy making him irritable as he walked toward the door. There really wasn’t anything to see down there. One of the Aurochs was sick and the others where trying to dodge puke. He didn’t feel like joining in so he walked out into the hall. There where few people about. Luzzu and Gatta, for all their friendliness back on Besaid took their work seriously, and where refusing to let anyone into the room at the end of the hall. Not particularly interested in what was there anyway he caught sight of a shorter man looking through the doors that stood to one side of the stairs to the deck. Curious he padded up behind him and peeked through the gap. 

“What’s so interesting?” He asked and the little man nearly jumped out of his skin in shock. 

“Wah…? Who are you?” He asked, in an accent slightly differing from Wakka’s. Tidus couldn’t help but laugh. 

“What’s so interesting?” He repeated looking into the room beyond the now open door. The man recovered quickly when he realized that the blonde wasn’t going to pick on him and nodded to the large wheels that stood in the room. Each had a large bird that kinda looked like an oversize canary with extra long legs. 

“Those Chocobos are what I was looking at.” He said amiably. “Beautiful creatures those, dead useful. They can run for miles and not get tired…” He trailed off and went back to staring only to shake himself out of his stupor when he remembered that he was talking to someone. 

“Oh, sorry for that, let me introduce myself, I am O'aka the XXIII, merchant extraordinaire.” He waved his arms with a flourish as he let the door of the power room shut and stepped past Tidus into the hall. The blonde had a faint smirk on his face as he listened to the introduction. O'aka’s face however, fell. “Well, I was going to be, there’s never been a merchant in the family before and I can’t get started really without the gil. Couldn’t lend me some could you?” Something in the back of his mind whispered to him as O'aka stared at him hopefully. 

_‘He would make a great ally if you helped him.’_ The voice that sounded so much like Harry said. _‘He has the determination and potential to become something great.’_ Ignoring his doubts he dug a hand into one of his pockets and pulled out a handful of what passed as currency here. He’d picked it up from all over the place and more often than not Fiends dropped gil like rain when they died. He grabbed O'aka’s hand and dropped it into his grasp. 

“There you go.” He said cheerfully as the merchant’s eyes went wide in shock. Everyone else usually just overlooked him, and those who didn’t usually horded their gil. 

“Ooohhhhh…” His voice shook and it was all he could do not to cry as his hands closed over the gil. “There’s got to be nearly ten thousand gil here.” He looked sharply up at Tidus. “Are you sure about this?” Tidus just smiled in amusement and gestured flippantly with one hand. 

“It’s not that much.” He said turning toward the stairs. “I don’t mind, and something tells me that Harry would have given it to you as well if he where here.” Ignoring the looks he was getting from the other occupants of the hall and the frantic ‘Thank you’s’ that sounded in his wake he walked up the stairs and out of sight. Outside on the deck he breathed a sigh of relief at the feel of the wind. It had been too stuffy down there and the rocking wasn’t so bad outside. Pity the other blitzers hadn’t realized that sooner. Taking one last deep breath of the salty air he set off around the deck. Sailors where running around working, while a large crowd had amassed around Yuna. He leaned against the railing nearby and overheard what was being said. 

"Word is that summoner's got noble blood!" one of the people that had gathered around her nodded toward the girl. 

"I heard she's Lord Braska's daughter!" another joined in. 

"Ya don't say?" one of the sailors there said in faint awe. 

“So she’s Braska’s daughter.” He mused more to himself than anything as he stared pensively out at the ocean remembering the statue of the robed man back in the temple. His uneasy and restless feeling had returned, it was like a lead weight in his stomach. He was becoming so paranoid that it didn’t surprise him when Wakka appeared on the rail beside him. 

“Yup!” He’d overheard the blonde’s absentminded statement. “She’s the daughter of High Summoner Braska! We only just got the statue back home, I bet being a guardian you’ve seen them in the other temples too.” Tidus just nodded along, not really confirming the fact. Luckily, Wakka didn’t notice. “Anyway,” He continued. “Lord Braska defeated Sin ten years ago and Yuna is the heir to a great legacy.” Tidus looked down at his hands and closed his eyes as the red head’s words brought back more memories. 

“It’s tough when your father’s famous.” He’d only murmured it but once again, Wakka heard him.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Tidus just squeezed his eyes shut tighter and tried to turn away only to find Lulu on his other side. 

“Was your father famous as well?” Tidus shook his head to clear it and backed away. 

“I’ve been in his shadow only for my whole life.” He burst out, the collective stress of remembering and being ganged up on by Lulu and Wakka finally getting to him. “I hated it! I hated him! Yet I ended up doing everything he did!” The last part had been more to himself. “Auron wouldn’t let me forget about him either. Jecht said this, Jecht did that!” He let out a growl of frustration and slumped back on to the rail dejectedly as the two guardians stared at him in shock. 

“Jecht? Like as in Sir Jecht and Sir Auron?” Wakka gasped out, dumbfounded. “Lord Braska’s guardians?” Tidus gave him a sharp look that was slightly tainted with confusion. He almost asked what he meant but didn’t as he stood up and turned away, stomping to a different part of the ship. He was surprised to encounter O'aka again on the upper deck, sitting in the shade of a large sail, reorganizing his pack. The look he gave the blonde as he flopped down nearby told him clearly that he’d heard every word he’d said down below. To his credit though he said nothing, something Tidus was glad for, he didn’t even want to hear the names Jecht or Auron again today if he could help it. Instead he just sat back and listened to O'aka babble on about everyday things, his brother and his home. He didn’t know how long they’d been there when a familiar call he never wanted to hear again went up. 

“SIN! IT’S SIN!” The boat tipped violently and they went sliding. Tidus crashed against the railing with a thud. For a moment he thought it would break as he struggled to regain his breath but much to his relief it held. He caught O'aka and his backpack as they slid past and held the merchant in a tight grip as the boat leveled again. 

“Get down to the Cabin.” He gasped out as he shoved O'aka down the stairs. He got to the bow in time to see two sailors heading for the harpoon guns that stood right at the front of the boat. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Wakka nearly roared out in order to be heard above the shouting and the crashing of the waves. “Stick a harpoon in him and we’ll all get dragged under!” One of the men who now manned the harpoon’s looked at him. 

“Sin is going for Kilika! We gotta distract it!” Even as the word Kilika left his lips a chill of dread ran through Tidus. Hardly thinking he ran forward to join them. 

“Do it! Quick!” Tidus paid no heed to Wakka’s protests. “We at least need to slow it down to give him time.” 

“Give who time?” Wakka demanded, rounding on him. Tidus met his eyes and nearly glared. 

“Harry, Harry’s there and he knows when Sin’s coming, he need’s time to warn them!” He ignored the questions of how and why and nodded to the Sailor. 

“Forgive us lady Summoner!” He cried out as they took aim and let loose. The harpoons sailed through the air but only one embedded itself amid the scales that protected the fin raised above the water. The speed they’d been traveling at though was nothing compared to that of sin and the ropes went taught as the ship was dragged along behind it. Those who had remained on the deck went scrambling for hand holds but none went overboard. Unfortunately that was the least of their problems, the harpoon had caught Sin’s attention and it was now raining scales onto the deck. Tidus got a feeling of deja’vu as he pulled his sword and began to slash at the ones closest to him. He’d managed to kill a few before he heard someone shout from the melee on the deck. 

“Attack the fin!” A moment later Wakka’s ball burst into flames and sailed out over the water to smack into the fin. It shuddered at the sudden attack and with a crack the harpoons embedded in its flesh, splintered and broke. Without a moment to loose Sin dove under the waves and the ocean began to calm down. They finished off the few remaining scale insects and stood looking at each other before there was a roar of water and the boat nearly rolled. Tidus found a handhold and managed to catch a sailor as well before the boat righted itself. Looking out over the bow he caught sight of something big slipping though the large waves created in its wake and hoped, that if Harry really was in Kilika like he thought, that he’d be okay. After all, he was his last link back to Zanarkand.

Right?

 

_________________________________________________

 

Where there should have been laughter there where shouts as people rushed for the island as fast as they could. Women rushed through the homes people had built over and over again gathering up any irreplaceable items they could find before following everyone into the forest. Baby’s squalled and men lead the way toward the temple, even the fiends stayed out of their way as they escaped the oncoming danger. Behind them a shadow loomed over the town that was suspended over the water and a wave, almost as high as the tallest part of the island, crashed down upon the fragile buildings and homes. The unlucky few who hadn’t made it to the safety of the forest where hurtled into the water or hit by debris as Sin laid waste to everything that was left, as well as the trees and plants on the edges of the forest where the sand wasn’t sturdy enough to hold them in the winds. 

Then as quickly as it had come Sin left. An uneasy calm settled over the destroyed remains and the bodies of those who had died where swept back to the shore. Long after Sin had retreated into the distance the people of Kilika finally reemerged from the forest to see the destruction. A few burst into tears as people gathered the nerve to go looking for those who hadn’t made it. Off to one side, away from the grieving people, a dark haired boy watched them, a black staff griped tightly in one hand. 

“They’ll be okay.” The blonde girl beside him murmured. “More would have died without your warning.” Harry nodded grimly even if he didn’t quite believe it himself. An old man hobbled toward them, he was the elder of the village. 

“You’ll do the sending?” He asked. Harry nodded and turned his gaze out to the ocean. 

“Tidus is coming.” 

 

_________________________________________________

 

It was a frantic and mostly distraught crew that sailed their ship up to the only dock left intact after Sin’s latest assault. They rushed around and lowered the gangplank as Yuna rushed to see the people that where waiting for them. Yuna darted foward to one of the people and hurriedly did the prayer. 

“Greetings.” She said, slowing down when she realized that she was moving to fast. “I am the Summoner Yuna. I have come from the temple in Besaid. If there is no other summoner here, please allow me to perform the sending.” Some of the people in their midst gave her a sad smile. 

“The sending is soon to be underway.” One older woman said as she stood by one of the sailors. “We are here to see if any of our loved ones where caught at sea, before we will join the others.” Yuna looked slightly put off and the other guardian’s all turned to look at Tidus as he shouldered his way hurriedly through the crowd and ran off down the boardwalk.

The old woman laughed. 

“I take it that was the young guardian.” She looked at the way he had gone with a faint smile that Yuna and the others where surprised to see. “Summoner Harry said that he would arrive soon, just as he knew Sin would come. We lost only a few this time, our people count ourselves truly blessed that Yevon would send such a Summoner to save us.” She made the prayer and many of the others copied her before the crowd began to walk further down the dock. Bemused, Yuna and the others all followed, O'aka the merchant getting ahead of them to see where his new friend had gone. 

 

_________________________________________________

 

Rikku didn’t notice as Tidus slipped out of the crowd of solemn people to stand beside her in order to watch Harry as he practically danced on the water. She’d seen a sending before, both simple and complicated but they never failed to hold her in awe. The torch flames had gone blue and under the summoner’s feet motes of light where rising from the bodies that floated there, wrapped in funeral shrouds. The water that had risen was beginning to lower him back down and the dance was finally coming to an end. People wept for friends and loved ones, they where lead away as Harry finally made his way back to the shore. Rikku rushed forward to meet him when she noticed the tears he had running down his face but stopped when Harry’s feet found dry land and he froze. 

It was then that the Al Bhed girl turned around and stared in surprise to see just how close Tidus had been. Then out of the blue she squealed and bounced on the spot before launching herself at him, the blue ribbons that had been attached to her orange top streaming out behind her as she leapt.

“YOU MADE IT!” She shrieked, grabbing his hands and knocking him around with her over enthusiastic bouncing. 

“Nice to see you to.” Tidus said as he wrestled his arms out of her grip and put her in a playful headlock messing up her hair in retaliation. 

“HEY!” She gave an indignant shout as he let her go. He grinned as the other blonde backed off pouting, trying to put her hair back to the way she liked it. By then most of the villagers had left and the three had registered O'aka, Yuna, her guardians and the headman all standing off to one side but none really acknowledged them as Tidus turned back to Harry. 

“Hi…” He waved a hand, nervous now that he was facing him, and for no reason what so ever. Harry was still crying but his face split into a smile as he lightly punched him in the arm.

“It’s about time you got here.” The blonde tensed slightly as the Summoner hugged him. When he stepped back Tidus got a good look at him. He looked slightly better than the last time he’d seen him. Someone had given him new clothes. The white baggy pants worn by most of the islanders, plain sandals and a shirt that actually fitted him. Seeing this Tidus gave a tug at the lump against his back and pulled free the robe he’d carried with him since he’d washed up on Besaid. 

“You forgot this.” He teased slightly as he handed it over. Harry’s face brightened again as he grabbed it and shrugged it on. A quick wave of his staff later and it was clean of the salt and dirt that had gathered on it. 

“Thank-you.” He hugged it around himself and moved closer to Tidus as those who had stayed away finally joined them. 

“Our thanks Summoner Harry.” The old man stiffly gave the prayer and stood straight as Harry waved him up again.

“Oh don’t.” Harry begged him not to bow. “You don’t need to do that, your bones won’t thank you for it later.” The headman chuckled.

“Ever caring.” He said with a shake of his head. “I will take my leave now. My people will be staying in the temple. I’m afraid you will have to remain at the Inn tonight. I would invite you to stay in my hut once more but as you know…” He gave a sad smile. “We will forever be in your debt you know.” Harry just shook his head. 

“You owe me nothing, I did what I was taught to do. Preserve life before all else.” To anyone from Spira it was obvious that Harry was different. There was something about him that drew the eye even as he shirked the spotlight.

“That may be so.” The old man said pensively. “But we owe you our lives none the less. You and your guardians will always find friends among the people of Kilika.” Without letting Harry say anything else he turned and walked toward the forests, humming the hymn to himself as he went. 

“So what are we going to do now?” Tidus broke the silence looking at Harry absentmindedly drying off his face for him, neither really noticing what he was doing. Rikku bounced on the spot. 

“We’re going to Luca.” The Al Bhed girl chirruped. “We can meet up with my people there. With the big tournament there’s sure to be someone who can take us to home. We have a team playing as well.” Tidus nodded in agreement before all of a sudden one of the people they’d forgotten broke in. 

“Hey! You’re not gonna go and play on some other team are you?” Wakka stepped up to Tidus. Harry looked at him. 

“Huh?” Tidus scratched the back of his head and shrugged. 

“Well when I washed up near Besaid they threw a ball at me to wake me up and I was kinda mad so I kicked it back and Wakka decided to recruit me.” Harry looked at the red head and frowned.

“I still remember what happened last time you played Blitz Ball.” The green-eyed Summoner said, a mocking light in his eyes. Tidus decided to play along.

“Hey! It wasn’t my fault Sin turned up and crashed the party.” Harry feigned a deadpan look. 

“I was coughing up water for ten minutes! If Auron hadn’t fished me out I would have almost drowned.” Tidus got a triumphant look.

“You said almost!” He crowed. “You wouldn’t have drowned.” Harry poked his tongue out. 

“Then you try swimming with rubble going everywhere Mr Guardian.” 

“I did. Twice.” Tidus drawled, clearly remembering the experience himself. "The second time I was the one draging you along." 

"Oh, Burn..." O'aka hissed out quietly to one side, mostly unnoticed.

“Does that mean he can’t play?” Wakka asked stupidly. Everyone froze and looked at him like he was mad. “What?” He asked indignantly as Lulu put her head in her hands and Rikku burst out laughing.


	5. Popularity Contests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and guardians head to the temple, and people notice things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my..... 
> 
> It's finally been noticed.   
> I did say this was being cross-posted from an existing site yes?   
> And in spite of the change of User Name, it is my story. (pun intended)
> 
> Either way, I'm not worried, but if you'd like to confirm it yourself you're welcome to send me a PM over on FF.net and I'll respond to let you know it's okay. 
> 
> And as someone tried to ask. The reason for the different name is simply because I've wanted to change it for a while. I go by the name Auraion in A LOT of my online communities already. It's my go to name in games and even my steam account is under that name, so I guess you could say I'm condensing everything under one title now. I've just been too lazy to change it on ff.net. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope that clears up the issue for some people, and I hope you'll all continue to follow my works. 
> 
> (P.S. I play ff14 with the name Auraion Greymane on Pheonix. :P)

The morning dawned bright the next day and Harry was up with the sun. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he sat up, trying vainly to escape the light that was flashing across his face. He groped for his glasses on the bedside table out of reflex before he remembered that he no longer wore them and glared at the curtains through squinting eyes. As if in response a gentle breeze coming off the ocean blew the material higher, sending the light lancing across his eyes once more. He shut them with a groan and flopped back to the mattress with an ‘Oof’. 

‘Sometimes I really hate mornings.’ He thought as he heard Tidus roll over next to him. Two Summoners, their guardians and a few refugees that hadn’t gone to the temple staying in the small and partially ruined Inn meant that they’d had to share rooms. Putting him into the undeniably frustrating position he as in now. Sharing a bed with the blonde blitz baller. Normally it wouldn’t have bothered him, after all it wasn’t the first time he’d had to share with someone else. On his first pilgrimage though Europe he’d ended up stuffed in a tent with a snoring Ron, a twitching Remus and a talking Neville. If he could sleep through their combined annoyances he should have been fine now… But then again he’d never really been attracted to any of them, thus bringing him to the source of his problem. 

The curtain blew up again and with a growl of annoyance he finally got up.

“Alright, alright! I’m up!” Swinging his feet over the side he slid his feet into his sandals and stood up groggily. There had been an unspoken agreement to wear their clothes to bed the night before and now Harry was lamenting the loss of modern showers. Sighing he picked up his staff from where it was propped against the end of the bed and waved it carelessly. He didn’t really need incantations or spells anymore, having surpassed the need for them years ago. Finally feeling somewhat clean he turned around and leant down to shake his new guardian awake. 

“Hey Tidus…” The blonde mumbled in his sleep and turned face down in the pillow. 

“…Mmmmm… five more minutes…” Rolling his eyes Harry tried again, with much the same results. 

“…nnnn… go away… having dream about Harry…” The said Summoner froze in surprise, a faint haze of red breaking out over his face before he even registered it. Still red he took a step back and waved his staff through the air. The space between Harry and the sleeping blonde rippled and out of nothing came a bucket. The teen had just grabbed it’s handle when without so much as a knock Rikku bounded into the room in all her bouncy “morning person” glory. 

“Good MORNING!” She squealed loudly, throwing her arms around him. Time seemed to slow as he let go of the bucket to pry her off but even as she let go the bucket had already finished its arc, its icy contents going all over Tidus. Rikku stared open mouthed as the blonde shot upright after the rude awakening, only to get hit as the plastic bucket bounced off his head and vanished. Although it had been his original intention to drench Tidus in the first place Rikku’s exuberance had turned it into something possibly more deadly. 

“Owww.” Tidus curled out clutching his head as the Al Bhed girl burst out laughing. 

“Rikku!” Harry gave his own indignant shout. Still smiling brightly she stopped laughing and put a hand over her mouth, the other tucked behind her in the classic ‘I’m a cute little girl’ pose. 

“Oops, I wasn’t interrupting something was I?” She asked innocently. Tidus saw red and leapt out of bed. 

“Rikku! Start running!” Rikku squealed and raced out of the room as the misplaced Blitzer ran out after her, hurling insults. Behind them Harry blinked, wondering what had just happened, then deciding it wasn’t worth thinking about he shrugged it off. At least he wasn’t the one getting blamed. It had been very obvious from the start that the pair where quickly developing a brother-sister relationship. Rikku bugged Tidus, Tidus threatened pain, Rikku bugged him again, Tidus threatened death, Rikku goes for a third round…. and things just deteriorate from there…

With a sigh of exasperation Harry gathered up the things Tidus had left behind and slung his robe over his shoulder before following them downstairs. Passing a stunned Yuna on the way.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

It had taken an hour to stop them from trying to drown each other but after the pair had made up they quickly got ready to go to the Temple. Technically Harry wasn’t going to see the Fayth; he had gone when he’d first woken up on Kilika. The priest who had been caring for him had encouraged him to go. Curious about the Aeons of Spira he’d dragged Rikku into the cloister of trials, only to have her lecture him after. She’d reminded him about the Final Summoning and the promise he’d made to her people... 

+++++

_“Summoner Harry, we will be taking you back to ‘Home’ with us when our people have finished salvaging the relic.” The captain of the ship had approached him only moments after his guardian by default had jumped into the still gray waters below._

_“I can’t begin to thank you enough for your assistance.” Harry said, giving a bow as best he could with the awkward way he’d been sitting. The Al Bhed looked at him pensively before lowering himself to the deck and sitting cross-legged._

_“Where did you really come from?” He asked taking Harry by surprise. “There are few who would thank the Al Bhed, Summoner’s and priests especially. We have never heard of a Summoner named Harry, in fact the only places names like that are seen are in the ancient records that came before the time of Zanarkand.” Harry looked at his face in confusion before he sagged slightly._

_“So that’s how far displaced I am.” It was the Al Bhed’s turn to be confused, Harry continued. ”Where I came from Zanarkand and Sin didn’t exist. From what little I saw when I was there I guessed it was either a parallel world or the muggle future.” The men stared at him amazed._

_“You are no ordinary Summoner.” The captain’s voice rumbled not unkindly. “We do not condone the sacrifice of the Summoner’s to bring the death and rebirth of Sin.” He said, assuming Harry knew. “My people want to make them promise, not to go after Sin until another way can be found to stop it. The tradition of the Final Summoning is something that must end.” Harry looked at him and in spite of how much he didn’t know he nodded._

_“Then I won’t, I won’t use this Final Summoning and I won’t go after Sin.” The captain looked at him in surprise before he too nodded, sealing the promise…_

+++++

...Harry had come up with a compromise after that. He would go to the other temples and get the other Aeon’s but he would break off the pilgrimage and avoid getting the final summoning. Looking at the map of Spira that the priest had given to him they agreed to go as far as crossing Gagazet. If only to see what had happened to the city he had been in briefly with his own eyes. 

But for now they where headed to the temple to meet Kilika’s people once more. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

To Tidus, what the other’s had referred to as a forest, looked more like a Jungle. Tall trees with large emerald green leaves spread above them in a high canopy but dappled sunlight streamed through where the leaves didn’t quite meet. The ground around the large and well-worn paths was covered in shrubs with tropical flowers growing in nearly every nook and cranny, there where even some that Tidus would have no hope of recognizing, even if he knew what they where.

As they moved deeper into the jungle they began to encounter Crusaders and soon Tidus noticed some familiar faces. 

“Hey! Luzzu! Gatta!” He waved to get their attention and they returned the greeting. 

“Greetings once again.” Luzzu said respectfully as his company came to a halt behind him. “I see you have found your Summoner.” He bowed slightly to Harry but didn’t make the prayer like some others would have. He looked over their group. “Lady Yuna has already passed this way to the temple.” He turned and gestured toward a path that lead away from the one they currently stood on. 

“They took that path but in their haste they didn’t take the time to listen to our warnings.” He faced them once more. “Up that path a fiend well known in this forest has made it’s home. We’ve had trouble with Lord Ochu in the past, they would have done well to remember that discretion is the better part of Valor.” Harry’s eyes crinkled in a smile as he recognized the advice. He had received something similar to it from an old muggle in Ireland who had seen him for what he was. 

“Maybe my guardians and I should go and find Lady Yuna.” He suggested. Tidus and Rikku shifted either side of him. They still had a lot of energy to burn off, besides, it would be good practice for when they had to face the real challenges. Luzzu looked faintly relived. 

“Of course, but be careful. There are always many fiends that get left in the wake of Sin and I fear that the people of Kilika would lynch us if anything where to happen to you.” Rikku laughed at that while Harry’s face went red with a blush. He didn’t ask for people to follow him, god knows he had no idea what made them so loyal to him to begin with. Tidus was grinning at him in amusement and Harry stuck his bottom lip out in a pout. 

Oh god! Now he was pouting! 

Pulling himself together Harry shook his head slightly. 

“They won’t.” He assured them. “We have more than enough tricks up our sleeves.” With that they bid their goodbyes and the Crusaders marched off on their patrol. Tidus looked at Harry and then Rikku in turn. 

“So are we going to go?” He asked, the green-eyed Summoner nodded. 

“We have time.” Harry answered as he wondered toward the path. “Coming?” Both Tidus and Rikku didn’t have to answer, instead simply running up either side of him. They hadn’t gone far when they heard the explosion of a small lightning strike. Harry began to walk a little faster and as they rounded a bend in the path they got their first look at the battle beyond. Lulu and Kimahri where standing before a great plant like fiend with large whip like arms bombarding it with spells and physical attacks while Wakka was out cold off to one side with Yuna knelling beside him, rapidly muttering to herself as she waved her staff but to no avail. A quick glance at the battle was all they needed to see that the others where tiring. Rikku crept off into the jungle without prompting, while Tidus dashed up beside the drained Lulu, not even looking at Wakka or Yuna.

“Need some help?” He asked cheerfully. The dark woman gave him a condescending look but nodded nonetheless. Without wasting another second the blonde drew his sword and pounced. It did have some effect, more than the other’s attacks in any case, but it wasn’t quite enough. 

“Hey Harry!” He called back to the Summoner. “Do you have something that will help… Whoa!” His question was cut off suddenly as he had to dodge a jet of water Lord Ochu had sent his way. 

“I’ll be right there Tidus, but I’d stand back!” The blonde leapt out of the way and the two other fighters took their cues from him. Harry stepped up to the now clear area and held his black staff horizontally over his head. Sweeping it down in front of him he let go of one end and waved it around in a circle. Above him the sky turned stormy and the rapidly spinning vortex made a screech as a large golden creature soared out of it. The sight left the others gapping. Its body was shaped like that of a lion but instead of a normal head it had the head of an eagle. Sharp eyes glared at the Fiend as it landed beside the Summoner and crouched down low. It’s gigantic wings folded against its body and it awaited orders, its tail lashing impatiently behind it.

“Go on Godric, slash that overgrown pot plant to pieces.” The Aeon called Godric didn’t need to be told twice. It dashed forward and a few brutal moments later the former lord of the forest burst into the same bright motes of light as all the other fiends had. Godric was purring when it turned back and nudged Harry to be pet. The green-eyed boy grinned and ran his hands over its neck before it took to the skies. Once it had returned to the grey vortex the sky cleared and the forest canopy settled back in to fill the hole the Summoning had created. Rikku appeared a moment later and waved her find under their noses. 

“Look! I got some of the poison.” The bottle she’d stored it in was filled with a sickly looking goop. “We can use it to make an antidote for that _Eteud_ when we get to the temple.” She tipped her head toward where Wakka lay his skin tainted green. Harry, understanding the brief slip into her native language, was having a hard time deciding whether to laugh or tell her off. Instead he settled on shaking his head in exasperation, Tidus laughed however as they set off down the path once more, leaving Yuna and her guardians to fend for themselves. 

The rest of the short journey was relatively uneventful and they reached the temple just after mid morning. The people there where happy to see them and Tidus was reminded of the scene back on Besaid where he’d seen all the villagers flocking to Yuna, but this time it was Harry standing in their midst. He felt a flash of jealousy when one of the villagers got to close and it must have shown on his face because Rikku came over and dragged him off to one side, although she made sure Harry was still within their line of sight. 

“You like him don’t you.” Tidus couldn’t help but gape a little at the other blonde’s blunt words. 

“Wha?” he made a questioning noise but Rikku gave him a ‘don’t mess with me’ look that totally clashed with her normal sunny demeanor. 

“You. Like. Him.” She said, punctuating every word with a poke to his chest. It certainly wasn’t a question. Tidus nodded dumbly after a few long moments, actually scared of the ‘Serious Rikku’. She looked him over with a critical eye once more before her overall mood did another 180. 

“Oh that’s good then.” She babbled brightly. “Just don’t go showing it all open like that. There are people who don’t approve of that kind of thing and might make trouble.” With that she skipped back off to her former post leaving Tidus to figure out what she’d been getting at. 

Needless to say he nearly choked a moment later.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

Yuna frowned at the gaggle of people that filled the temple. She knew that they where taking up residence here but she couldn’t help the surge of irritation that rose when she saw the other Summoner. He was smiling as he was pushed around from group to group, chatting and laughing. She felt herself torn between wanting to idolize him and wanting to hate him. The Aeon he’d summoned was proof that he was far more powerful than his appearance let on, but then he had Tidus as well. Wakka had told her late the other evening that Tidus had let slip that his father was her own father’s guardian, Jecht. Not only that but he’d also revealed that Auron had been with him at some point. The female Summoner averted her eyes from the sight of her male counterpart and looked at the blonde standing off to one side glaring at Harry’s other guardian, his arms folded over his chest ill temperedly. 

“Something’s not right.” Yuna murmured to herself as she stared longingly at the blonde who had returned his gaze to Harry. “I’ll talk to him later… on the boat.” She nodded to thin air as she followed Kimahri toward the great hall. “I’ll find out what went wrong.” So caught up in her new resolve she didn’t see the look Lulu gave her. The black mage’s face twisted into a frown as she followed her young Summoner’s gaze to Tidus. 

‘I’d better watch this.’ Lulu thought to herself. ‘She’ll only get her heart broken if she pursues what is clearly already taken.’ She was still deep in thought a while later when they passed into the Cloister of Trials, leaving Wakka on his own in the care of the villagers and the monks.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

Harry looked up at the stars later that night from the observation deck of the S.S. Winow. He’d been very surprised to recognize some of the constellations, confirming his theory that he’d been flung into the future. He stopped his stargazing when he found himself yawning. It had been a very busy day. There had been a few altercations at the temple between some of the Blitzball teams that had visited. The Aurochs that had come with Tidus from Besaid and the team from where they where headed, the Luca Goers had nearly broken out into a fist fight in the middle of the temple, and then there had been Dona, the other female Summoner that had arrived that morning on the boat from Luca. She’d somehow gotten wind of Yuna’s lineage and had confronted her. The monks had intervened though before they’d entered an all out contest.

Then there was the small problem of the Sin spawn that had been waiting for them on the stair that lead to and from the temple. Harry had been forced to reveal another of his Aeon’s in the confusion or risk the villager’s lives...

+++++

_The Sin spawn crouched on the landing, its roots where pushing up from the ground as it turned its sights to the Crusaders who had come at it from behind. Luzzu and Gatta had lead the charge but half where thrown away by a powerful swipe of the long feelers that extended from its sides. As much as he didn’t want to have to do it he had little choice. He could have Summoned Godric again but he’d already called the Aeon once today. He didn’t want to do it a second time and since Athena and Oddish couldn’t really stand against the oversized plant type fiend, it left only one… Salazar._

_Harry pulled away from everyone else and lined himself up with the sin spawn. Gripping his staff in both hands he made a horizontal slash through the air before him. Only Tidus had noticed what he was doing. Holding the black staff vertically in front of his face he did a full turn on the spot before swinging it above his head and bringing the end down on the ground like a hammer._

_Then the rumbling started._

_The sin spawn returned its attention to him as the ground began to shake and then, all of a sudden, the stones split in half as the earth below them gave way, leaving a gapping crevice. Somewhere in its depths, something began to stir. A long body uncoiled itself and surged toward the surface, bursting out to loom over everything. The poisonous, neon green skin of the king of snakes cast a shine over the people watching. They all shielded their eyes and finally the Basilisk opened its own. The great yellow orbs glanced around before it settled on the creature that had been threatening its master. It hissed its displeasure loudly and glared. The Sin Spawn stopped all movement and froze to the spot, from there it began to change color, almost as if the glare was leaching the life from it, leaving it a uniform shade of stone gray._

_But the great serpent wasn’t done yet. It reared back it’s head and shot forward at an incredible speed its jaws opening wide to snap down on the stone fiend. It shattered instantly, sending shards flying but before they could reach those watching they disintegrated. Its work done the snake simply turned around and slithered back into the crevice and its chamber below, the ground sealing itself behind. Harry had collapsed around then, falling on his ass in the most ungraceful manner possible before he registered the cheering of the villagers who had climbed up onto the stones around the temple to see from the mountain top…_

+++++

...The thought of the incident still made his cheeks glow red-hot whenever he thought of it and half the people had turned out on the dock to bid them goodbye as they left at sunset. Rikku had asked him earlier why he hadn’t tried using the Aeon he’d received from the fayth in the temple in Kilika. He’d had to admit, the Aeon had totally slipped his mind. Ifrit, as the fayth had called it, would have been useful, but Harry had simply forgotten about it. His old Aeons where just too close to his heart to be pushed aside by a new set. 

He sighed again and looked down at the deck where Tidus stood staring out at the ocean, lost in memories... 

=====

_He stood on the deck of his old boat looking down at the ball that sat innocently before him. He’d be damned if he didn’t get it right this time. Drawing back his foot he tried to kick it but at the last second he saw an unwelcome figure out of the corner of his eye. His foot missed his target and he went sprawling to the deck. Jecht walked over from where he’d been watching and stood above him. Tidus scrambled to his feet and glared at his father. He’d caused him to mess up the shot!_

_“Well, well, trying to follow in my footsteps are you?” He asked sauntering over to the ball. “I usually charge for lessons, you know… That shot is done like this!” He gave the ball a powerful kick toward the wall of the cabin and it rebounded toward him, his father punched it back at the wall one more time before he jumped off the deck and twirled in mid air, giving it a hard kick that sent his ball sailing out into the distance._

_“You can’t do it, kid. But don’t worry, my boy. You’re not the only one.” He gave and arrogant laugh. “No one else can do it. I’m the best!”_

=====

...The very though of his father sent him into a rage. Now thoroughly pissed off he kicked the ball. It knocked against the edge of the stairs in front of him. Desperately trying to ignore the memories of his father pounding through his mind he punched the ball on the rebound and leapt into the air. As he twirled he caught sight of Harry’s eyes watching him from the shadow of the sails and it pushed him further. For the first time in his life he connected with the shot, the blonde’s foot lashed out and the Blitzball sailed out over the moonlit ocean, almost to fast to follow before it became a speck over the horizon. Tidus landed lightly on his feet and couldn’t help but grin as a feeling of triumph welled within his chest. He’d done it; he’d finally done the impossible.

“HA! You’re not the only one who can do it Old Man!” He crowed to himself as he turned and sent a grin up at Harry. The Summoner, beginning to understand the significance of what he’d just done, silently applauded before pointing to something behind him. Tidus wheeled around and came face to face with Wakka, whose nose was only an inch from his. The blonde stumbled back with a soft cry of surprise.

“What was that shot called? Will you teach us how to do it?” He asked, his awe reflected in all the faces of the Blitzers present. The Aurochs stood behind him and off to one side, largely unnoticed, was one of the Kilika beasts. Tidus scratched the back of his head, embarrassed at being caught by Wakka. 

“It doesn’t have a name,” He said automatically. “And anyone can learn it if they try, I’ll teach you if you want.” Wakka was nearly bouncing with excitement. 

“Alright! We’re having a team meeting now so you can go over it with everyone.” He turned around to the gathered Aurochs with a goofy grin and Tidus shook his head in disbelief. Honestly, Wakka was just way to energetic for this time of night.

“That was really a Jecht shot wasn’t it.” The blonde jumped in shock and span around, his hand going for his sword before he realized that it was only Yuna who had spoken. He could feel Harry watching him as he narrowed his gaze on the female Summoner. 

“How did you know that?” He asked, a little more harshly than he’d originally intended. 

“Sir Jecht, my father’s guardian, showed it to me when I was a little girl. He called it the ‘Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III’.” Tidus turned away and scowled in irritation. 

“A stupid name for and even stupider man’s ego.” He muttered darkly. 

“Sir Jecht is your father isn’t he, Wakka told me that’s what you said.” Tidus didn’t even look at her; he leaned against the railing of the ship and looked out at the ocean trying to fight back the anger that was surfacing for the second time in nearly an hour. This time it was focused on the red head as Yuna continued. “It’s strange that you’re here though, Sir Jecht said he came from Zanarkand, did you come from there too?” It was possibly the worst thing she could have said and even Harry could see that it wouldn’t end well. The only one who didn’t seem to notice was Yuna. 

“As far as I’m concerned I don’t have a father.” He said savagely, pushing himself off the railing and taking a few steps toward the other side of the boat. Yuna chased after him.

“But what if he’s alive?” She asked. “Don’t you think you ought to find him?” Tidus stopped dead and turned to look at her. 

“He left me and my mother on our own for nearly ten years!” He burst out loudly, getting the attention of Wakka across the deck as Yuna took a step back in surprise. “Even if I did find him again I’d just kill him on sight! Even when he wasn’t there he ruined my life and no one’s thanking him for it.” He bit off the next comment and left Yuna standing there stunned as he stomped off, tears leaking from her odd colored eyes. The blonde simply ignored her as he dashed up the stairs onto the same level as Harry before he kicked the mast in an attempt to vent his frustration. A few minutes later he had sufficiently calmed down and went to lean against the ropes that guarded the observation deck beside Harry’s sitting form. Down below Wakka was giving a dirty look at the direction he’d gone in while he comforted Yuna. Kimahri now stood stoically beside them, glaring at anyone who came even close. It was a while before Harry broke the silence.

“It’s hard to live in the shadows of the expectations of others.” He said in a whisper, not looking at the blonde. Even if he hadn’t experienced what Tidus had he still understood the reasoning behind it perfectly well. Feeling unloved and abandoned where only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Tidus shook his head to clear it and slumped to the ground beside him. It hadn’t been this bad when he’d raged about it in the S.S. Leki but this time around his reaction had been much worse. 

“Yeah, well I can live with it just as long as people stop bringing it up.” He spat out bitterly and a ghost of a smile crossed the green eyed Summoner’s face. 

“Hear, hear!” He muttered to himself and let out a small giggle before his face fell slightly. Ron had said that all the time, especially when food was mentioned in the comment before. Tidus smiled when he giggled, he shoved the thoughts of his father to the back of his mind and focused his attention solely on Harry.

“So how have you been since we got to Spira?” He asked seriously enough. Harry shifted around and pulled his black robe closer as a particularly cold wind blew across the observation deck. Unconsciously, Tidus slung an arm around his shoulders.

“It’s… different.” Harry said slowly, his eyes finding the stars once more. “There are some things that haven’t changed like the sky and my Aeons… but Spira is so different. I wish I knew for sure where I was. Then it probably wouldn’t be so bad.” 

“Hmmm.” Tidus made a small sound of agreement. He hadn’t even known anything ever existed outside of Zanarkand so it would have been much harder to be thrown into a world where nothing was the same. Each of them where lost in their thoughts for a long time before a slightly huffing O'aka jogged up the stairs. 

“Oh there you are!” He exclaimed loudly, paying no heed to the way they where sitting. “Your friend, Rikku is looking for you both. She said you ought to go down and get some sleep. It will be a big day tomorrow.” Waking up from his slight daze Tidus sent O'aka a smile.

“Thanks.” He said easily before getting to his feet and stretching. He leaned down and helped the now groggy Summoner to his feet. O'aka skipped off smiling and Tidus resolved to get his story out of the man. He just seemed too happy in helping them out. 

Leading Harry down to the cabin he settled him in near Rikku and went to sleep himself. 

And this time, he didn’t dream.

 

\--------------------------------------------------


	6. Disasters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone arrives in Luca. Blitzball is played and everything goes wrong.

The ocean sparkled in the light of the sun as the S.S. Winow swept into Luca Harbor. Tidus stood at the very front of the bow, holding on to the rigging as he tried to take in everything at once. Luca had turned out to be a bustling city filled with people that seemed to be rushing around everywhere and no one wanted to stay still. It was like an early version of Zanarkand, before it had grown into the bustling metropolis he’d been born in. Now this was more his style. Back on the boat to Kilika he’d tried to get comfortable but now with the hustle and bustle around him he was back in his element. The peaceful islands had been almost painful to be on. 

He caught sight of the stadium ahead of the boat and a smile crossed his face. Even though his need to play had dampened since he’d met Harry he still got a buzz from it. As they moved closer he caught a glimpse of the rigging for the sphere pool and noted that it was an older model. It used a generated electrical field to hold the water in a clear sphere with the only way in or out being a shielded area behind the goals at either end. It was different from what he was used to but he could live with it. All it meant was that he could no longer tackle the other players and send them into the crowd like he usually did. The sphere pool back at the Zanarkand Dome had been a marvel of machines and magic. It was the reason he’d known about magic in the first place. 

Some of the designers had been mages and they’d come up with a type of magic called grav or gravity magic. Incorporating charged crystals into the large rings that where suspended within the dome it would activate and draw in water from the surrounding air. With a little help from the water cannons on hand the effect was instant, producing a sphere pool that normally would have taken hours to fill, and since the gravity magic was holding it together you could breach the outsides as much as you wanted with no ill effect. 

He closed his eyes and turned his face toward the sun, soaking in the light before he heard a shout from behind him.

“TIDUS!” He looked around with a smile to see Harry standing on the other side of the railings waving to him. The blonde let go of the rigging and slid along the sloping plank of wood he’d been standing on. Harry stepped back as he clambered over the rail, nearly falling on his face. 

“We’ll be arriving soon.” Harry told him as they walked side by side to where Rikku waited. “It’ll be good to finally get off his boat!” Tidus rolled his eyes. The green-eyed teen didn’t like sailing; he said he preferred to fly. 

“Yeah, yeah!” Tidus waved his hands dismissively and Harry pouted playfully. Tidus guessed he didn’t even realize he was doing it because he jumped when Rikku laughed again. Of course she had found the entire situation totally hilarious. Being female and seeing everything from an external view, their attraction to each other was glaringly obvious. It was all she could do to watch them as they messed up or let their masks drop with _‘oh so cute’_ results. The boat was just pulling up to the dock when O'aka found them. 

“HEY!” He scrambled across the deck, dodging other passengers and sending up a brief ruckus when he crawled between Kimahri’s legs. Still apologizing to the Ronso he bumped into Tidus and turned around with an embarrassed grin. 

“Hello there!” He said brightly, giving a nod to Rikku and a quick. ‘Master Summoner’ to Harry, which baffled him to no end. It was a recent trend among some of those who had come with them from Kilika and to Harry it was the ‘Chosen One’ business all over again. “I’ve decided!” O’aka declared. “That since you helped me out, I’ll help you out! So here I am!” He stood there before him smiling and Rikku had to repress more laughter. This was only getting better and better. 

“Huh?” Harry and Tidus said in unison. O'aka bounced on the spot. 

“What I mean is that I’ll go with you!” He said jogging on the spot for a moment before stopping. “I started out to be a merchant because I had a sister who was a Summoner.” A brief flicker of pain flashed through his eyes. “She died trying to beat Sin and I wasn’t there to help her so I figured I’d help the other Summoners by selling them supplies since I don’t have the abilities needed for a guardian.” He cheered up again and bounced on the spot while Harry snapped out of his daze.

‘So that’s why he’s been hanging around us so much.’ The dark haired Summoner thought. ‘Tidus must have helped him out.’ He looked at his guardian who shrugged and Harry focused on the smiling merchant with a thoughtful expression. Blocking out everything else he opened up to his magic and thought ‘SCAN!’ 

The effect was almost instantaneous and messages began to scroll through his mind telling him all about O’aka. It didn’t show him his thoughts like Legilimancy did. Instead it showed rather what he had the potential for. He was very fit, used to walking long distances and could handle heavy loads, but what surprised Harry was the potential he had for magic. It wasn’t very obvious, but it was there. In a way it reminded him of Neville. His former guardian had come late into his magical abilities and up until then his magic had been hard to access and difficult to use as it had been buried away. O’aka’s magical core had been almost completely sealed away but the size of it was astounding.

Harry stopped the spell with a thought and shook his head to clear it of the jumble of thoughts that where rushing around his head. 

“Alright, you can come.” He said as the gangplank was lowered. “But stay close, I still have something to talk to you about.” O'aka nodded and skipped over to Rikku as they prepared to disembark.

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

The dock was covered with busy people all running around yelling, talking and laughing as they waited for the players. Tidus was surprised to hear someone talking over loudspeakers that where rigged up all over the place. 

**“AH, over there! The ships carrying the players are arriving now! This would be dock number two, and all the way from Kilika, it’s the Kilika Beasts! High Summoner Ohalland used to play for them – a big name to live up to. Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin. Isn’t that right, Jimma.”** A new voice spoke up.

**“That’s right Bobba, but there where rumors that a Summoner somehow gave them warning of the attack, but still, they’ll be pulling out all the stops to try and bring back the cup this year!”**

**“Exciting isn’t it folks? Our next team off the ramp is…”** The announcer trailed off for a second. **“Well, well, well! If it isn’t the Besaid Aurochs!”** There was an all round cringe from everyone around Tidus as he hung back from the group now getting off the boat. There where only a few cheers from some really diehard fans and for the most part people where laughing, even they could see the team was a joke.

**“They’re a living, breathing statistical impossibility.”** Bobba the announcer went on. **“I’ve never seen a team this bad! That’s right! In twenty-three years they’ve never made it past the first round! Only a few die-hard fans in the audience today.”** He repeated the blonde’s exact thoughts as Harry took the ramp a few steps before Yuna’s group. There was a muttering that went through the crowd when some realized he was a Summoner.

**“Best of luck to them, and a safe journey back to Besaid.”** Jimma had the last word over the Aurochs before Bobba picked it up again.

**“Right Jimma. Moving right along, out next team is… Here they are, folks! Our very own Luca Goers!”** There was cheering from all over the dock as the team that had been picking fights with the Aurochs all the way to Luca disembarked. **“They’ve got power! They’ve got speed and they’ve got teamwork! They’re an all-around first-class team! And they’re back home in Luca!”**

**“Without a doubt, they are the favorite this year, Bobba. And after the way they dominated last year, it’d take a miracle for them to lose today.”**

**“You can say that again, Jimma. Look at the crowd, folks! Look at the crowd! Looks like all of Luca has turned out to cheer the Goers on! They know, I know and you all know folks! The Luca Goers are number one.”**

Tidus was getting irritated and was ready to turn back and give them what for when Harry placed a hand on his arm. Putting a hand in his shoulder would have been awkward as he was about a head shorter.

“Don’t get mad.” He said quietly, straining to get close to his ear. Tidus leaned down to hear the last bit. “Get even.” He continued. “Totally destroy them during the game like you did back in Zanarkand.” The logic sunk in and a wicked grin broke over his face. He remembered that even if he couldn’t tackle them out of the sphere pool he could still do a heck of a lot of damage. It was about then that Yuna ran past them, calling back to her guardians. 

“Hey! This way everyone!” She waved her arms as her lagging guardian’s caught up. “Maester Mika is arriving at dock three!” There was a huge fan fare over the loudspeakers as people moved off the dock. Caught up in the crowd Tidus grabbed Harry and O’aka, trusting Rikku to stay close on her own. 

“Who’s Maester Mika?” He asked her when they’d settled in at the back of the crowd against a pile of crates where they could see the gangplank of the boat that had just arrived. Rikku’s nose wrinkled again as a huge blue haired man made his way to the dock. 

“He’s the leader of the Yevonites.” She said sourly. “He lives in Bevelle with all the other old stuffy people. They said this tournament was for him, he’s been a Maester for fifty years.” Tidus smirked.

“It sounds like he should have retired by now.” Rikku covered her mouth to muffle the giggle that threatened to erupt. Ahead of them he could see the man who had disembarked. He wore purple robes that fell open in the front, revealing a tattooed chest beneath. His blue hair stuck up in an unnatural way, three long spikes shading his face like bars, almost as if they where there to cage him in. He faced the dock once more and went down on one knee, going through the movements of the prayer. Almost everyone went down and did the same. Harry however remained where he was. O'aka had crouched below the man’s sight, followed promptly by Rikku. Even if they didn’t bow they knew when to slink off. 

Tidus leaned back against the crate and crossed his arms over his chest, totally unimpressed with the pomp in which the old Maester disembarked from the ship, surrounded by priests. He’d seen better receptions for the Abes when they made it to the finals back home. Mika hobbled past the kneeling man and waved an arm through the air almost dismissively. 

“People of Spira, I thank you for you generous welcome. Rise, Maester Seymour, and all of you as well.” His voice was weak and wavering as everyone stood. Yuna was the last to return up right. Seymour, as he’d been named, rose to his feet in a single graceful move and turned toward the people. 

“I present to you…” Mika spoke up once again in his weary tone. “The son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know, he has been officially ordained a Maester of Yevon.” From his place in the back of the crowd Harry instinctively stepped back into Tidus. The aura of the Guado was nothing less than evil as it swirled around him like a dark tide. Tidus felt it to but everyone else was oblivious as it slid through the crowd ensnaring people in its sinister hold. Seymour nodded toward them graciously, oozing charm. 

“I am Seymour Guado. I am honored to receive the title of Maester.” Harry shivered. He knew a Slytherin when he heard one, and this new Maester would probably have outstripped Voldemort in terms of evil. “In life, my father Jyscal worked to foster friendship between man and Guado. I vow to carry on his legacy, and fulfill my duties as Maester to the best of my abilities.” Mika and his priests all turned to leave, followed by most of the crowd while Seymour remained where he was. He looked over the crowd and pinpointed Yuna amid the bustle. She was still looking at him. He mentally scoffed at the attention but gave a minute smile he knew the girl wouldn’t miss. She shivered under the intensity of his stare before he broke eye contact and walked away. Naturally it had happened fast enough that few noticed their interaction and Wakka called above the noise of those still on the dock and the shouts of the sailors. 

“ALL RIGHT! Last meeting before the match! Hustle!” The Aurochs gathered quickly and they walked toward the locker rooms. Tidus watched them go before he looked at his companions. 

“Well, what are we going to do about that?” Rikku gave him a quizzical look and tipped her head to one side. 

“About what?” She asked. Tidus rolled his eyes. 

“I don’t know about you but Harry did have a point when he said bad things happened last time I played Blitz Ball.” The blonde waved a hand toward the stadium. “I don’t feel to good about this either and I’m not about to leave him on his own especially with you two.” Rikku’s cheeks puffed out as her face twisted into an affronted expression. 

“HEY!” She protested loudly. O'aka snickered but Tidus had a perfectly straight face. He looked around and his eyes settled on the next dock. A boat that looked very similar to the one that the Al Bhed used was docked there and figures where scrambling all over the deck. 

“Hmmm, Rikku, didn’t you say your people had a team playing in the tournament?” The fifteen year old who had been about to chew him out stopped suddenly and blinked. 

“Oh yeah…” She said slowly, remembering what she’d told him before. Her face began to brighten up. “OF COURSE!” Rikku jumped up and down energetically; grabbing Harry’s hand she sped off down the dock making Tidus and O'aka run to keep up with her pace.

_“RAMMUUUUU!” (Hellooooo!)_ She yelled when she got close enough for the Al Bhed on the ship to hear her. Some dropped what they where holding and ran to the side to stare. 

_“Rikku?”_ One asked. The hyper guardian nodded her head and bounced over, finally letting go of Harry who dropped like a stone, worn out by the exposure to her exuberance, luckily Tidus caught him before he could hurt himself. 

_“Fryd yna oui tuehk rana? Dra Lybdyeh cyet oui fana fycrat ujan puynt po Sin.” (What er you doing here? The Captain said you where washed over board by Sin.)_ Rikku made a pose as she reached the top of the gangplank. 

_“Oui fuh’d kad net uv sa cu aycemo!” (You won’t get rid of me so easily!)_ She chirped and leapt at one of the men standing there. 

_“Pnudran!” (Brother!)_ Behind her Tidus and Harry both wondered just how many brother’s she had. Her brother looked around her and his eyes widened in surprise behind his goggles. 

_“Y Summoner!” (A Summoner!)_ He gasped out. Rikku looked around at Harry and beckoned him over, letting the other Al Bhed out of the strangle hold. 

“This is Harry.” She said, switching back to normal language forgetting Harry could understand them. “He is a summoner…” She admitted. “But he’s alright, he made a deal with the others, he isn’t going to go after Sin or the Final Aeon.” Her brother gave her a skeptical look but nodded all the less. 

“Are… _oui_ coming… Home?” He said in rather broken speech, he wasn’t a fluent as Rikku was. The girl shook her head.

“No,” She replied. “I’m going to go with Harry for a while, he said he wouldn’t try to get the final Aeon and I believe him. But that’s why we’re here. Tidus is going to play Blitzball and I was wondering if you would help me guard Harry until the tournament is over?” She looked up at him with wide pleading eyes and her brother threw a hand over his eyes with a groan. Nobody could say no to the puppy dog eyes.

_“Ymm nekrd, ymm nekrd! Fa’mm tu ed!” (All right, all right! We’ll do it!)_ Rikku jumped on the spot and clapped her hands excitedly as he waved forward two men. 

_“Drao femm ku fidr oui.” (They will go with you.)_ He said as Rikku put him in a strangle hold hug once more.

“Thank You!” She chirruped before she abruptly became very serious. 

_“Drana ec ymcu cusadrehk oui cruimt ghuf,” (There is also something you should know,)_ She began, switching back to Al Bhed. _“Yhudran Summoner ec eh Luca.” (Another Summoner is in Luca.)_ Murmurings went around the deck at her words and O'aka and Tidus both looked at Harry for translations. 

“She’s telling them about Summoner Yuna.” He clarified and Tidus nodded in understanding. O’aka’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“Why is she doing that?” He asked, panic and confusion lacing his voice. Harry patted his arm and discreetly cast a calming charm. 

“Apparently the Summoner’s here sacrifice themselves to defeat Sin.” Harry explained, knowing full well that he was telling a stranger that he didn’t come from Spira. “The Al Bhed don’t like that tradition because they think it’s a waste of life. They believe a solution can be found without sacrificing more lives to defeat Sin.” There was still a trace of his emotions showing in O’aka’s face, even with the calming charm.

“Oh.” Was all he said as Rikku finished up her conversation and they made their way back toward the stadium, Tidus going to the locker rooms while the others went to the stands. Even as they sat down a short way from the goals Harry couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of foreboding. Something was going to go wrong and Harry desperately hoped he was wrong. 

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

The atmosphere was tense as Tidus entered the locker room. Most of the Aurochs looked like nervous wrecks and Yuna had been waiting for him. 

“Where ya been?” Wakka asked as most of them looked away from the screen they’d been studying. “You missed going o’er the basics.” Tidus gave him a slightly condescending look. 

“I had to see to Harry’s safety before I came down here, he didn’t feel right about the crowds.” Wakka rocked slightly as he remembered the other Summoner. He didn’t seem to remember the altercation last night, although Kimahri’s dark looks told the blonde that his memory was still crystal clear. Yuna was smiling at him in a strained way but smiling nonetheless. Tidus gave them all a disbelieving look. 

“So do you know who we’re playing first?” He asked the room at large. A blitzer named Datto answered. 

“We’re playing the Al Bhed Psyches, and since we got seeded we only have to win this round and the next in order to win the cup.” The blonde’s lip twitched before he burst out laughing. Oh the irony! Rikku most certainly wasn’t going to like this! He calmed down at last when Yuna stepped forward. 

“I was wondering where you went!” She said oblivious to his sudden dark mood. “Someone said they saw Sir Auron in the café!” Tidus stared at her in disbelief. 

“Sir? Auron?” The skepticism in his voice went right over the female Summoner’s head as she nodded eagerly. 

“Yes, Sir Auron! Lets go find him!” She grabbed his hand to pull him out of the room but with a twist he avoided her grasp. 

“I don’t have time for this.” He caged. “If he wants to find me he’ll find me, but I have a game to play. You can look for him yourself.” It was cold but he didn’t really care. Ignoring Kimahri’s growls he followed Wakka’s directions and found himself in an attacking position. That suited him just fine. A bell went off to signal the players to get in position nearly ten minutes after Yuna had left but just before they entered a man Tidus recognized as an Al Bhed ran up to their opponents. 

_“Fa ryja dra Summoner.” (We have the Summoner.)_ Wakka, not understanding the speech gave them a dirty look, as if it was a crime to speak in his presence. Tidus hung back and quickly faced the two men. 

_“Yna oui kuehk du dyga ran cdnyekrd du ‘Home’?” (Are you going to take her straight to ‘Home’?)_ he asked quietly in the same language. The two looked surprised for a moment before one nodded. 

_“Oac.” (Yes)_ he answered. _“Fa femm dyga hu lryhlac.” (We will take no chances.)_ Tidus nodded and quickly turned away before anyone else could realize what had been said. Even through the water in the Sphere pool he could hear the roars of the crowd as he swam out amid the Aurochs to take his place. He could hear the announcers as they shouted out the teams. 

**“Well Bobba it looks like there’s fresh blood in the Aurochs rank’s this year.”** Jimma called out gleefully when he noticed Tidus in the sphere pool. 

**“That’s right Jimma, according to Captain Wakka this kid ain’t no rookie and he’s a Summoner’s guardian no less.”**

**“Whoa!”** They went on to comment on other things but the blonde’s face was burning red in spite of being completely submerged in water. He could hear a laugh ringing through the silence of his mind and looked to one side on instinct to see Harry seated in the stands about mid way between the goals. He sent him a cocky grin and a small wave, in spite of his earlier worry about leaving him. Just as long as he could see him it didn’t matter so much. The siren went off and Berrik, the player on center for the Al Bhed leapt forward and grabbed the ball. Tidus shot at him with all the speed he could muster and smashed into him as hard as he could. 

There was an roar from the crowd as he dropped the ball and Tidus scooped it up, sending a no-hard-feelings look aver his shoulder before he made a loop around a defensive player and made for the goal, the moment he was in the clear he pushed the ball ahead of him and did a flip, slamming his feet into the blue and white orb causing it to shoot toward the goal. The keeper surged up to meet it but he was to slow and the ball slipped by him setting off sirens. 

**“GOAL!”** One of the announcers roared out as Tidus grinned and did a small twirl in victory. The crowd had been stunned at first but they burst out in cheers as they finally noticed that it was the Aurochs that where currently winning. The blonde gave Wakka a thumbs up as he passed, returning to his starting position. The red head was giving him a shocked look, as if he hadn’t even seen him move. When the players had returned to their starting positions a new ball was thrown into play. As per the rule’s a wincing Berrik caught it and promptly loaded it off onto another player. This time it was to far away for Tidus to use his tackle so he got into position to take a pass as Wakka and the others went to intercept. They didn’t quite make it as an Al Bhed player slipped past them and scored. 

On the next throw in Wakka caught the ball and made straight for the goal, Datto on his right and Tidus on his left. An Al Bhed took out the bald player when he intercepted a tackle meant for Wakka. The red head, lagging slightly now, threw the ball to Tidus who was in the clear. One of the other players made a bid for it but only managed to slow it down. Deftly catching it Tidus lined up for a shot when Berrik slammed into him from behind. He cringed and let the ball go to grab his ribs. 

‘Okay, I deserved that.’ He mouthed to Berrik. The other blonde grinned and swam off toward the other end of the Sphere, the crowd going wild at the sudden turn in the Auroch’s playing technique. Tidus floated there, winded, until the siren went off for half time. He quickly made his way to the exit behind the goals and took a large gulp of fresh air when he was free of the water. It wasn’t pleasant having the air knocked out of you in the middle of the game and luckily the Psyches hadn’t scored again. When Wakka came out of the sphere he was grinning. 

“Oh Man! I can’t believe it!” He cried out, putting Tidus in a playful headlock and letting everything go to his head. “We’re really playing for once, we might just have a chance at this, ya?” The Aurochs let off a cheer as they got their breath back quickly and took care of any injuries the Psyches had managed to inflict. Tidus had flopped onto a bench when Lulu came charging into the room. 

“Wakka! Yuna has been taken by the Al Bhed!” She cried before anyone could even register her arrival. Tidus kept his face blank as he listened in. He knew what it was about already. 

“WHAT!?” Wakka blew up at the news. “Why those dirty…” He mimed trying to choke thin air. 

“They want the Aurochs to throw the game.” Lulu continued, “Or they won’t give her back.” Wakka suddenly looked torn. 

“But the game…?” He trailed off weakly. 

“Just come Wakka!” Lulu snapped ill temperedly. “Tidus can take your place on the team for now.” Wakka hesitated then nodded. 

“Alright, Jassu, you back in the game. Tidus, you take center, keep them playing as long as you can and go for the victory when you see the signal, okay?” Tidus gave a nod, accompanied by a bored yawn. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know Wakka.” He waved him toward the door as the bell went to call the players back to the sphere pool. “Alright guys, lets go.” Tidus waved the Aurochs out the door and into the hall. Back in the sphere things went slow for the first few minutes while Tidus and Berrik continued to butt heads. It wasn’t until the last minute of the round that a bright light lit up the stadium and Tidus knew it was the signal. He waved Jassu and Datto ahead while he made a run right up the center. Dodging Berrik for the five hundredth time he took aim and pounded the ball with his foot. It smacked into the face of one of the defenders and rebounded at chest height. The blonde punched it back at the second defender before going into a spin that hit the Blitzball and flew toward the goal. The keeper didn’t even try to stop it as it shot into a corner of the goal just seconds before the final siren went off. 

The crowd went ballistic. 

**“THIS IS INCREDIBLE!”** Jimma exploded. **“FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY TWENTY YEARS THE AUROCHS HAVE WON A GAME! FOUR TO THREE!”** Tidus couldn’t help but feel proud of himself as he swam over to the sulking team and stuck out his hand to their captain. Berrik looked at it before looking up at his face and shaking it. Outside the sphere the watching Maester Seymour narrowed his eyes and traced the player’s movements as he left the sphere. It was unusual for any of the teams to shake hands like that, the rivalries between them where nearly legendary. This incident needed looking into.

Back in the Aurochs locker rooms Tidus wasn’t joining in the celebrations. It had struck him just as he was leaving the sphere pool that something had just happened. Paying no heed to the celebrating Aurochs he left the room. He had to find Harry and check something out before the finals started in an hour’s time.

As he walked back into the main plaza he passed Yuna, Wakka, Lulu and Kimahri on their way down. Wakka was bent over holding his chest in pain but yammering away anyway. 

“We sure showed them didn’t we…” Wakka’s voice faded behind him as he ignored the look he got from Yuna and began to take the stairs nearly three at a time. He was only slightly relieved to see Harry, Rikku, O’aka and their guards waiting for him at the top. 

“Something went wrong!” Rikku yelped out the moment he could hear her. The Al Bhed with they shifted uncomfortably. Tidus waved them off, unconsciously falling into the role of the leader.

_“Ku lralg dra creb.”_ He ordered. The two men and one woman snapped to attention before running off into the crowds. A quick look told him Harry was fine so he turned his attention to Rikku. 

“What’s up here? I saw Yuna on the stairs, and why did the team ask them to throw the game in the first place?” The blonde asked. Rikku was as distressed as the others. 

“It wasn’t a part of the original plan!” She wailed. “It was something to throw them off out trail but they came anyway.” Harry frowned. 

“I think we should go to the ship as well.” He suggested looking at the entry to the locker rooms with his green eyes narrowed. “Our help will be needed if they did take her back by force.” With that agreed to they made their way through the crowds and pushed past those watching on dock four as the Al Bhed picked themselves up. It was a mess. The deck was covered in pieces of a large machine that had been wasted by the Guardian’s rescue. O’aka and Harry went straight to those still wounded while Rikku hovered over them. 

“Will they be alright?” The young girl asked, hopping from foot to foot in her nervousness. The three who’d been with them at the time of the attack brought more from below deck. 

“They’ll be fine.” Harry said rather absently as his forehead creased in concentration. He needed to learn more healing spells. Back in his world… or time, Luna had been the resident white mage. Her entire arsenal of spells had been completely light, not one dark or grey spell to be seen. Being a fully trained healer meant Harry had never really had to learn more than the basics of healing and since no one else in the group really knew any really good white magic he’d have to learn himself. 

As it turned out O’aka was very good with the potions in his pack. He knew just what to use on each of his patients while Harry went around stabilizing them with spells. Their hour crawled by before Tidus had to return to the Aurochs for the last match. It was hardly a surprise to see that they where playing the Goers. The team had been playing like demons since the first round. Another thing that didn’t surprise him was the fact that Wakka wasn’t going to be playing. He’d been crippled on the stairs before, so Yuna was going to stay with him and her other two guardians. Tidus was going to play center again. The blonde didn’t really feel like playing, but he did keep his word. He was going to help them go out with a bang. 

Even, if he was starting to resent Wakka.

Tidus was tense as he swam out into the sphere pool. Harry was in the stands once more sitting behind the Goers goals. The blitzer wanted to be able to get to him right away if anything went wrong. The Aurochs swam toward the center to meet the Goers only to find themselves on the receiving end of taunts. Tidus crossed his arms over his chest and gave them his most unimpressed ‘are you a child or an adult?’ look. The announcers where blaring something to the crowd but Tidus wasn’t listening as he turned his back of the childish players and made a few jerky hand signals to the Aurochs. They split up and went to their positions while the Goers seemed to deflate slightly, reluctantly getting ready themselves as the starting siren went off. 

The blonde didn’t waste any time in grabbing the ball and making for the goals. He had a few narrow misses when some of the defenders nearly took his head off in their efforts to get the ball. Tidus didn’t even stop swimming as he hurtled it past the keeper and into the energy net. It was a fast goal and it had put them in the lead but Tidus didn’t expect it to happen again. The opposition would focus on him now, and hopefully the others would manage to get a few shots around him. The next round the center for the Goers, a man named Grav, took the ball and threw it to a player called Doram. The woman swam around the edges of the Sphere pool toward the goal and took the shot; fortunately Keepa was able to stop it. The large goal keeper threw it back into play and Jassu took it before speeding away. He threw it ahead to Datto, he caught it before taking a shot of his own. 

The goal keeper lunged for it but the ball slipped through. The crowd was going wild. The impossible was happening, the Aurochs where actually wining and the Goers had yet to even score. Tidus smirked as they lined up for the next play, infuriating their captain. The blonde Blitzer could hear Harry shouting out and as he cheered the people around him picked up his chant. If it was possible the water around the opposition began to boil. No more mister nice guys. The blonde’s smirk grew wider as the beast inside him came out to play. Now this was his kind of game! The siren went and everything went to hell. The Goers got the ball but Tidus was having the time of his life beating into them. They managed to get a goal before halftime and it was two battered teams that went down to the locker rooms. Wakka was waiting for the Aurochs, his expression stormy.

“I know where winning ya, but, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?” Tidus just smirked infuriatingly as the pumped Aurochs slapped each other on the back. 

“That was Blitzball Wakka.” He said as calmly as he could with adrenaline still pounding through his system. The red head growled. 

“I know that!” He ground out, wincing as he put pressure on his ribs. “But why ya playin’ like that?” Tidus shrugged in response. 

“That’s what I call fun.” The blonde guardian wondered idly if the red head was going to have an aneurysm as he went a shade of red that clashed with his hair. 

“Dat’s it, you out of the game!” He declared loudly. Throwing up his hands. Tidus didn’t have time to protest as the bell called the players to the Sphere Pool. The Aurochs left and Tidus, not wanting to be cornered by the hopeful looking Yuna, took off after them. He wasn’t paying attention to those around him so he was taken by surprise when a gloved hand grabbed his shoulder. 

“Whaa?!” He let out a faint shout of surprise as somewhere above them the second half of the match started. He looked around and followed the red clad arm back to its owner. “AURON?” He got a few looks from the crowd as he shouted out the old fighters name. Auron smirked faintly. 

“I knew you’d come here eventually.” His deep voice was at its usual monotone, but this time it had a triumphant undercurrent. “You never could resist the chance to play.” Tidus threw his arm off and began stomping toward the stadium’s public entrance. None of the guards tried to stop either of the guardians as Tidus stomped up the stairs. 

“Took you long enough to get here.” He scowled at the smirking old man. Auron gave him a lofty look. 

“I’ve been hearing some interesting things.” He said knowingly. “That you’re in the service of a Summoner.” Tidus stopped on the stairs and turned around, giving him a deadpan look. 

“Duh! I wasn’t about to just give up on Harry you know.” Auron eyed his defensive posture. 

“I was expecting you to go after Yuna, she has, after all, met your father.” Tidus’s expression immediately turned cold at what the man was implying. There was no way he would have gone with Yuna, for any reason. 

“Like I said, I won’t give up on Harry.” He ground out the words, trying to stay as calm as possible but failing as an invisible aura of power started to leak into the air around him. Auron waved a dismissive hand and walked past him on the stairs only to stop and look around, his eyes narrowing behind the small dark tinted glasses. He reached into thin air and pulled out his gigantic blade before resting it over his shoulder. 

“You’d best be ready.” He said beginning to walk up the steps as the first screams started. “I smell a fiend.” Tidus barely thought as he dashed up the stairs to find the stadium in chaos. In the few minutes he’d been ‘talking’ with Auron hundreds of fiends had appeared. Tidus looked up at the sky, fearing that Sin might be behind it, but the sky was clear and there was no sign of the gigantic destroyer. 

So where did all the fiends come from.

Tidus took the lead and dashed toward the place where Harry had been last. Behind him Auron brought his Broadsword down on the head of a fiend, which exploded in a spray of gore before vanishing. Leaving nothing to prove that a fiend had even been there. The blonde found his Summoner just in time to see him begin a summoning. 

He held his staff high above his head and the stone under his feet rumbled. A spell circle appeared below him and vines shot out of the ground. Harry took hold of his staff about mid way and span it around his body like a cheerleader’s baton at an extremely fast pace. Above him the vines twisted into a ball before he came to an abrupt halt, the ball of vines mimicked him, stopping and exploding into billions of flowers that floated out over the crowd who stopped running to watch as the Aeon landed on the ground. It was a green skinned girl, clad in a dress made of pink blossoms with grass like leaves extending from her head in the plant equivalent of hair. Silvery waves of power eddied around her like strips of cloth and her eyes glowed with power as she tipped her head back, opened her mouth and screamed.

Tidus dropped his sword to put his hands over his ears as all around the stadium fiends just dropped dead. When the scream had died away Tidus looked around to see that a few of the fiends had survived the attack. They where disorientated and quickly dispatched as up on the Maesters balcony, Maester Seymour summoned an Aeon of his own to take them out. Silence fell as everyone turned his or her attention to Harry. The dark haired boy waved a hand in dismissal to Oddish and the plant girl bowed deeply to him before she exploded into hundreds of tiny white flowers that vanished before they could hit the ground. Then he took a step back. Seymour noticed and in a split second his face twisted to a frown. 

“Get him!” He commanded and none of the warrior monks or the Guado hesitated as they leapt at him. As if the shout had been the signal he’d been waiting for Tidus dashed forward and grabbed Harry by the waist, picking up his sword from the ground as he went, and swinging the surprised Summoner over his shoulder in order to run faster. A moment later Auron overtook him and Harry’s other new guardians took up flanking positions on either side. Just before they exited the stadium Rikku stopped and turned, she reached into a pouch attached to her thigh and pulled out a small red gemstone. Crushing it in one hand she threw it at those following. 

“Take that!” The dust combusted as the spell contained within was released, halting the mob. She took off after the others once more even as they listened to Seymour’s amplified shouts behind. 

“GET THEM! THEY’RE TRAITORS! THEY SUMMONED THE FIENDS! GET THEM!”

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

They reached the stairs that lead to the highroad well ahead of the monks and where just about to exit the city when a voice stopped the rag tag group from behind. 

“Tidus! Wait!” The blonde slowed to a stop only a few steps behind Auron and looked back a Lulu, letting Harry down off his shoulder as he looked suspiciously at the black mage. Lulu saw the distrustful look and winced. 

“I’m not the enemy here.” She said. “There is something very wrong with this situation and I know that it wasn’t you that summoned the fiends like Seymour claims. Wakka was all to ready to believe him, as was Yuna. I believed they would know better but they refuse to listen to reason.” Harry was staring at Lulu vaguely shell shocked. 

“Aren’t you her guardian?” Tidus asked incredulously. The woman gave the group a sad look, focusing on Harry and Tidus, who where oblivious to the fact their hands where still clasped loosely between them. “Shouldn’t you be siding with her?” Lulu shook her head. 

“When I saw you the first time I thought you where Chappu, but I soon realized I was mistaken. My love will never return from the dead but helping you will give me a chance to finally leave that part of my life behind.” Harry could tell she was being honest and nodded solemnly. While she’d been speaking the noise of those searching for them had gotten closer. Tidus tugged on Harry’s and began to back away toward the stairs when Lulu held out a book.

“I’ll hold off the others.” She said as Rikku took the book from her. “Please make good use of this. It’s a spell book, one passed down through my family. I know it by heart and I have the feeling you will need it more.” Rikku waved to her as the group turned and ran for the highroad. In their wake Lulu sighed and turned to take up a guard position. She could pretend she’d been guarding the gate and no one would know the wiser.


	7. Running

The sky was stained red as the sun began it’s decent toward the distant horizon. The five weary travelers where scattered in the cover of the ruins that lay crumbling along the Mi’Ihen high road. Auron was the only one left standing as they took a moment to recover. There had been no one behind them for a few hours and since news had yet to reach those people still traveling the road they where all right for now. 

“So what the hell is going on.” Tidus growled out, his blue eyes flashing as he looked up at the graying man. “And don’t say this isn’t your fault because if it wasn’t for you we wouldn’t even be here in the first place!” The stoic former guardian mentally sighed. 

“I brought you here, with Jecht’s help, because I made him a promise.” He began, his voice devoid of emotion. “That I would look out for you.” Tidus just glared as Harry, O’aka and Rikku gathered closer. 

“Just who are you anyway?” The blonde asked quietly, a fragile edge of calm in his voice as he repressed his anger long enough to get the question out. “You knew my father.” It was a statement but Auron nodded anyway. “You knew Yuna’s father apparently, but you can’t have known both. So how do I even know if you’re the same Auron that’s been in Zanarkand for the last ten years?” Auron frowned at the question.

“It’s not impossible. Ten years ago… Jecht, Braska and myself, we defeated Sin, then I traveled to Zanarkand, to watch over you until the day I could bring you to Spira.” Tidus let a little of his rage wash away but it still lay there under his skin, ready to lash out. 

“Why us?” He asked, “Why me? Why Harry?” Auron turned his sharp gaze on the dark haired Summoner. 

“Summoner Harry was not included in the plan.” He said, making a shiver run through the smaller teen’s spine. “Nor did we know he would be there, Jecht agreed to bring him along because he showed far more power than Yuna.” Everyone stared at him like he was mad.

“What? My old man is alive!?” Tidus growled, his hackles rising at the mere mention of the man who’d ruined his life.

“It depends what you mean by ‘alive’.” Auron said after a long moment of silence, in a slow, measured tone. “He is… no longer human… but I heard him… from within the shell. Surely you heard his voice as well? When you came into contact with Sin…” 

Time just stood still.

Tidus looked up at Auron in growing disbelief as yet another memory pierced through the cloud of anger in his mind. 

_“You’ve already got it kid.”_

The voice he’d heard, it ‘had’ been his father’s. A chill ran through him that the sinking sun wouldn’t warm as he realized what Auron was trying to say. 

“It… it can’t be…” He reached out and groped for Harry’s robe, catching on to it and holding it tight like he had when he’d been floating in that place within Sin. 

“It is… Sin is Jecht.” It took every bit of will power he had not to cry at that point. 

“No… I don’t believe you.” He said, denying the possibility. 

“Don’t or won’t?” Auron challenged, suddenly fierce. “Come with me and I will show you the truth.” The other three could only look on as Tidus clenched the dragon hide robe until his knuckles went white. 

“And if I say no?” He asked rebelliously. 

“Every story must have an ending.” There where power in those words, whether Auron knew it or not. They invoked the dream he’d had back on Besaid and Tidus looked to the side to see Harry’s hand in the same place it had been in the dream. 

“I don’t care about your _stories_.” He said, not looking at Auron. “Besides, what would you have me do? You’re the only one around here with any answers.” 

“Kill Jecht.” The former guardian said evenly. “Destroy sin and free him from his prison.” Here he looked at Harry and Rikku saw it.

“NO WAY!” Their ‘little sister’ virtually exploded. “HARRY CAN’T GO AFTER SIN! HE PROMISED NOT TO!” She yelled at Auron, stomping her foot stubbornly. 

“I don’t like the final summoning any more than you do but it must be done.” Auron rounded on Rikku and the pair where ready to go at each other’s throats but the final forgotten member of their group spoke up. 

“Why don’t we just find another way then?” Everyone froze and turned to look at O’aka who was staring down the road pensively. “I mean, the final summoning can’t be the only way, right? All we have to do is defeat it ourselves.” He turned around again and saw them staring at him. 

“What?” He asked indignantly. Auron’s lip curled up in a smile before he burst out laughing. Rikku and Tidus stared at him in confusion while Harry began to see the irony in the statement. Finally the old guardian calmed down and turned away.

“Keep the merchant,” He said shortly, a smile still in his eyes even if his face was blank. “I like him.” Tidus, who had gotten to his feet, promptly turned around and began banging his forehead against the nearest solid object, which happened to be a pillar of stone left from an old building. Harry blinked for a moment before spinning around and prying his guardian away from the wall, like he used to do with Dobby.

“So should we do it?” O'aka asked, his face still red from Auron’s semi-compliment. They looked at each other once more, the same question running through their minds. ‘Should they go after Sin?’ Slowly Tidus nodded. 

“Lets do it.” Harry nodded along with him and they looked at Rikku. The Al Bhed girl was clearly torn between the prospect of bringing an end to Sin and reminding Harry of his promise to her people. Nearly a minute later she gave in.

“Alright! Alright! But on one condition! Don’t you even think about going after the final Aeon!” She shook her finger in their faces. Behind them O'aka jumped in to the air with a whoop. 

“Yay! ROAD TRIP!” 

It was all the others could do not to hit him.

 

_______________________________________________________

 

Night had well and truly fallen by the time they reached the Al Bhed travel agency. They found rooms for the night and Harry began to process to unlock O’aka’s magical core. He’d discussed it with the merchant back in Luca. He’d give him back his ability to use magic if he decided to stay with them for the entire journey. The merchant had come back to him as they approached the travel agency and asked him to do it. He was associated with Harry now and if he wasn’t careful he’d find himself locked up in Bevelle prison cells. So now he was snoring his head off sprawled out over his bed and sleeping like the proverbial rock. Fortunately his roommate, Auron, had the patience of a saint.

Harry looked out over the moon lit ocean and let out a sigh. 

“What’s wrong? Look out duty can’t be that bad can it?” Harry jumped slightly in surprise and sagged again as Tidus sat down beside him. He was supposed to be watching the road in case a messenger came from Luca in the night. If one did come he would obliviate them. The method wasn’t fool proof but it would give them time to sort out what had happened. 

“It’s not that…” Harry began but fell silent as he lay back against one of the large stones that littered the area. Tidus remained silent, a solid comforting presence that anchored his whirling thoughts to reality. 

“How are we going to do it?” He asked suddenly and the blonde’s head tipped to one side in his confusion, a clear ‘do what?’. Harry shook his head slowly. “How are we going to destroy Sin anyway? I mean, I have little to no knowledge of this world and its people yet we just said we want to go after the equivalent of the ultimate evil.” He waved his hands in frustration before gripping his messy hair. “They where right, I do have a hero complex.” He moaned into his knees. 

“Hey, it’s not that bad is it?” He looked just as Tidus reached over and grabbed him. Harry uttered a small shout before he found himself in the blonde’s lap. Tidus didn’t even seem to be thinking as he rocked slightly. 

“I mean,” He continued on with his previous words. “Remember the people back on Kilika? You saved their lives and even if you don’t know how we’ll figure it out, and I still have a score to settle with my father.” He squeezed him slightly around the waist as the anger threatened to rise. Harry uncurled and leaned back on his chest. In his mind all he could think about was the other teen. He remembered staying back on Kilika and it took all his will power not to just turn around and jump the blonde. The Summoner forgot all about his earlier distress once he was presented this new distraction. What he didn’t realize was that Tidus was now having a similar problem.

_‘WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?’_ Even in the confines of his own head he couldn’t speak coherently. He was beginning to regret his actions, simply for the fact that Harry was silently going to drive him nuts. He began to hum the song he’d been singing back in Zanarkand just after Harry had arrived in an effort to distract himself. He’d gotten mid way before Harry spoke up. 

“I remember where I heard that now.” He said shifting so that he could see the blonde’s face. Tidus gave him a questioning look. 

“Where?” He asked, curiosity getting the better of him. 

“I heard it when I was with to the Fayth back on Kilika. It was singing that song.” Tidus looked faintly surprised. 

“The Fayth was singing the song?” Harry nodded.

“The priest said that it is called the Hymn of the Fayth, a song made up by the people of Yevon, but I know that isn’t the case because if that was really true, then why would I have heard it back in the time before Zanarkand?” Now that he thought about it, Tidus didn’t remember how he’d first begun to sing it. He’d learnt the words after hearing someone signing it but he’d never really found out who… Harry knew it was getting close to the time for the look outs to change and tried to get out of his guardian’s lap but the blonde wouldn’t let him budge.

“Come on Tidus! Let me up! Rikku will be out here in a minute.” Tidus had a flash of possessiveness at those words for no reason he could understand. Still he acted on it, pulling the Summoner against him. Harry really couldn’t bring himself to struggle out of the grip. This was exactly the kind of contact he’d needed since all his friends had moved on. Still, no matter how good it felt he couldn’t just stay where he was. 

“I have to go.” He said distractedly as he got to his feet. Tidus watched him with a hint of hurt in his blue eyes. 

“Harry?” The Summoner closed his eyes and shook his head rapidly. 

“I can’t.” He managed to choke out before taking off toward the travel agency, mentally kicking himself for not staying. ‘To many shocks in one day.’ He rationalized to the part of himself that had wanted to just jump the blonde. ‘Not now, he’ll just regret it later.’ But no matter how much he thought that, it didn’t change the fact that he knew it was a lie. He had no idea where the connection had sprung up from but it was beginning to hurt. 

Rikku greeted him sleepily as she walked out the door ahead of him and turned to her left, taking a seat in the shadow of the chocobo’s, cast by the moon. As Harry disappeared inside she didn’t miss the look on Tidus’s face as he watched the Summoner go. She frowned to herself as the other guardian went in a few minutes later. 

‘Did I actually interrupt something this time?’ she thought was a sound of running footsteps came up the road. She looked around a post and saw a warrior monk running toward her. 

“Oh…” she breathed out as she realized that this was the runner they’d been waiting for. She then began to grin like a shark, showing all her teeth in a way eerily similar to the way her brothers would whenever they were in a mood to fight. She let out a creepy giggle and her hand slipped into her bag of tricks to grab a small bomb attached to a sack of powder. This monk wasn’t going to get very far. 

 

_______________________________________________________

 

To say that O’aka was hyper the next morning was an understatement of massive proportions. The merchant bounced in his chair as Harry sat beside him with the black magic book that Lulu had given them. It was a very good guide for spells and Rikku sat nearby trying to listen in as Harry taught O'aka a few of the basics of elemental black magic. The only problem was, was that the man couldn’t concentrate. He kept playing with the long staff Harry had found for him. Elder Rin, the owner of the travel agency and Rikku’s uncle, had been very helpful, he’d shown them a pile of disused staffs that he’d had in stock for years but no one had wanted. Harry had made O'aka try every one until they’d found one compatible with his magical signature. It was just over five foot long and made of a silvery wood the Rin said came from the magical woods of Macalania (sp?). 

They where running through some of the spells nearly an hour later when Auron re-entered the travel agency, his body language giving away hints of stress as he quickly sought out Rin.

“Is there another way out of here?” He asked, grabbing the attention of the others. Harry handed the book off to Rikku who stashed it at they all quickly got the message. Something was wrong, really wrong. 

“Why, yes.” The elder Al Bhed said gesturing toward the back half of the Inn. “There is a door we use to feed the chocobo’s.” Auron waved a hand for them all to gather closer. 

“Seymour is on the Mi’Ihen highroad.” He said bluntly. “He and his guardians will be here shortly, with Yuna, if we don’t want to be caught we need to leave now.” Rikku and O’aka hopped to it, they began packing up the things carried in the backpacks both O’aka and Tidus owned. Harry had enlarged them inside and placed a feather light charm on them so they could carry everything they needed. 

“If you run now you will not get far.” Rin said as they began to assemble. “But if you take the way down the cliff to the old road you might just make it to the Djose temple before them, if the Crusader’s operation does not block your path.” Tidus ran to the door and looked out. He could see the entourage approaching and the menacing aura of Seymour was unmistakable, even from this distance. 

“That’s good, show us the way.” Tidus prompted the Al Bhed. They’d met earlier that morning and the Al Bhed had been impressed in the blonde’s growing mastery of their language. Tidus had asked Harry to take off the translation spells for a while and had been bugging Rikku to teach him properly. The Summoner was fine with the spells and had no real desire to change that. Rin nodded to the request and lead them out the back door he’d mentioned earlier. He stopped at the edge of the ravine and they looked down to see a slide of loose pebbles and dirt. 

“Travel safe.” Rin waved before he turned and went back to the Inn. Rikku didn’t waste any time. With a skip and a hop she went over the edge, keeping her balance easily as she slid down the steep slope like a railing. O’aka followed her example enthusiastically but had a small problem keeping upright and rolled to the bottom, landing in a heap, just like a sack of potatoes. Auron copied Rikku before the three of them looked up to see Harry hesitating. The Summoner was unsure about it, he may like the heights from his broom but this was unnerving, although, before he could back out he felt a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked up at Tidus who grinned, seemingly having forgotten all about the night before.

“Trust me.” He said and quick as a snake he grabbed him and dashed for the cliff. 

‘What is it with him and picking me up?’ Harry thought as Tidus slid down the slide and stopped at the bottom, regaining his balance quickly and setting him down. O’aka quickly finished brushing himself off before they set off quickly down the old road, but out of the corner of her eye Rikku noticed something. It was a small red object that looked as though it had been dulled by dirt and time, buried under the dirt slide. She picked it up and carefully tucked the medallion-sized crest into the pouch strapped to her thigh. 

‘Who knows, it might come in handy later.’ She thought as she ran to catch up with the rest of the party.

 

_______________________________________________________

 

There where plenty of Fiends on the road as they made tracks in the direction of the Djose shore. One type in particular irritated them. The bombs, large balls of solid flame and heat that burnt you if you touched them, popped up all over the place, streaking out of bushes and setting the path in front of them on fire. Harry had O'aka practice the elemental water spell on each one. They might as well make the best of a bad situation. Back at the Inn one of the Al Bhed that worked there had taught him some of the more basic spells, mostly Nul spells that blocked certain elements. The Nul-Blaze spell had come in handy so far. 

Scouting ahead Rikku was about to turn a corner of the path when she stopped and span around quickly, pressing herself to the wall and signaling for them to get back. Above them there was a clatter of wheels and chocobo talons on wood. Craning his neck Harry looked around the edge of the cliff they stood against and saw a large bridge spanning the gap between the cliffs. 

“This used to be the road from Luca to the Djose shore.” O'aka made both Tidus and Harry jump slightly when he whispered to them from behind. “It’s called the old road now, they built the bridges above so they wouldn’t have to deal with the fiends down here. They named it the Mi’Ihen Highroad after the man who started the crusaders.” A red cart passed over head and behind it was a…. flock of chocobo’s all bearing riders. From this angle they couldn’t see well but Harry caught a flash of black and white through the rough slats of the bridge. 

“I think Seymour and Yuna are with that group.” He said softly to Tidus, “I might have just seen Lulu.” 

“They are.” Auron intoned grimly from ahead of them. “They’ll reach the gate before us, and there’s another problem on the way.” He pointed past Rikku to where a squad of Chocobo knights had entered the ravine from the other direction. They dismounted without giving more than a cursory look toward their surroundings and let their Chocobo’s roam up and down the natural stair case created over a lifetime of weathering away at the cliffs. It was too large for a human to scale but it was perfect for the chocobo’s to train on. The three riders of the squad gathered close as Rikku began to creep around the edge of the cliffs. She was just about past them when a chubby man looked around and saw her. 

“Oh hello!” He greeted happily as the two women with him turned to see the fifteen year old standing there, embarrassed. Still behind the rock face Auron shook his head in exasperation and Tidus smacked his forehead. The point of sneaking was to avoid getting caught.

“My name is Clasko.” The brown haired man went on, unaware of the four hidden males and the dirty looks Elma and Lucil where giving the back of his head. “What are you doing down here all on your own?” He asked innocently. Rikku looked at him like a dear in the headlights and shuffled around slightly. 

_“Rikku, mad sa ryhtma drec!” (Rikku, let me handle this.)_ Tidus jumped when Harry spoke up suddenly. He turned around and saw that Harry’s appearance had changed. There where only a few things that had changed but the effect was very dramatic. He’d somehow gained blonde hair in the same red-gold shade as Rikku’s and his eyes shimmered slightly with an unmistakable swirl, instead of a normal pupil. He would have passed off for Rikku’s twin. Auron, who had seen Harry use his glamour spells, nodded approvingly as the Summoner handed his staff to Tidus and walked out into the open. 

The look on Rikku’s face was rather torn as he approached her. 

_“Pid Har…” (But Har….)_ She began but trailed off when she saw what he looked like. Harry grinned and looked up at the three Chocobo knights. 

_“Hela du saad oui.”(1)_ He said brightly to the confused soldiers. Behind the cliff Tidus had to muffle a snort when he heard what Harry said. It brought back the memory of the first time he’d bumped into Rin. The elder Al Bhed had greeted him the same way and Tidus, in his true lucky fashion, had replied back fluently in spite of having only just learned some of the language. 

“Are you Al Bhed?” Lucil stepped forward, taking the initiative to ask. Harry flashed her a smile. 

“Yup.” He answered in a language they would understand. “Pop’s won’t let us in to see the operation so we came down here to explore.” He said, his acting flawless, one of his more Slytherin traits. Rikku got in on the act and pouted. 

“It’s no fair.” She said crossing her arms over her chest petulantly. “They get to have all the fun.” 

“Trust me, you ain’t missing much.” Clasko admitted earnestly. “Sin isn’t that pretty.” His two fellow crusaders looked at him like he was insane while Rikku retreated into silence. 

“Isn’t the Operation going to start soon?” Harry pointed out and Lucil looked at the sky in alarm. 

“You’re right.” She gave a sharp whistle and the chocobo’s returned to their riders. “Maybe we’ll met again after the operation.” She offered as she nodded and waved forward Elma and Clasko. “Chocobo Knights! Move out!” Clasko groaned and Harry and Rikku watched as they vanished toward the entrance to the battle site. Auron came out of hiding and chuckled darkly as he passed the pair. 

“Good work.” He said, his voice giving away only a little amusement, before he walked ahead of them, not looking back as Tidus handed Harry is staff and the Summoner whispered ‘Finite’. His appearance went back to normal. 

“We have a problem.” Auron continued. “We can no longer pass along the Djose shore. Either we wait for a chance once every thing is over or we make our way past them during the fighting. Personally, I know we can not afford to wait.” The others looked at each other and then back to Harry. Since he was the Summoner, he had the final decision. 

He was silent for a long time before he looked at them all and nodded. 

“We’ll go during the fighting.” He said calmly. 

“I have a feeling that there will be something there we need to see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Nice to meet you


	8. Operation Mi'Ihen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Operation Mi'Ihen starts and stuff goes downhill from there.

From a bird’s eye view, the cove in which the Crusaders and the Al Bhed had set up their operation looked small. Tidus didn’t understand how anything the size of Sin was going to get in there, let alone hide. But that was the point wasn’t it. To draw him out of the water long enough to kill him. The blonde guardian still didn’t want to believe that his father was down there… inside the monster, waiting to be killed. He held on tight as Harry’s Aeon banked against the wind and turned sharply, heading back for the Mi’Ihen Highroad. 

The Crusaders hadn’t given them a second glance as they’d walked out from the paths that lead to the old road. They’d been nearly frantic about the preparations for the operation. They did however; need to be careful of the other Summoner present. Dona, whom they’d encountered in Kilika, was standing with her guardian Bartello off to one side of the Gate. They’d been refused access and the Summoner was grumbling darkly about special treatment. It was obvious too most, she was resentful of Yuna’s fame and heritage. Even so they’d hung back so Harry could call Athena. 

It had surprised Tidus at first to find that Athena was actually the Aeon Yuna called Valefore, although there was one big difference between Valefore and Athena. 

Harry’s was bigger. 

Athena had loomed over them and was large enough to carry their entire party if need be. Also there was a presence around the Aeon that Yuna’s didn’t have. It was ancient, old and powerful beyond measure, and currently, he was on it’s back checking out the battle site, much to the alarm of the crusaders and the Al Bhed. But then again, seeing a big bird with a rider flying around a military operations site would seem suspicious after all. He just prayed they didn’t recognize him and try to shoot him down.

Athena gave a loud screech as it suddenly banked in the wrong direction and headed toward a large outcropping in the rocks. It wasn’t far away from where the crusaders where tormenting a cage full of Sin spawn. Tidus leaned over what could be considered the Aeon’s shoulder and looked down only to feel his bones go cold with dread. Standing in the command center below Maester Seymour had to resist the urge to smirk and he spoke wonderingly to the female Summoner standing at his side. 

“My… that is an Aeon, is it not?” Yuna followed his gaze along with the rest of the command center’s current inhabitants. Unlike Seymour she couldn’t withhold her reaction. She gasped loudly. 

“Valefore!” She breathed before she noticed the rider. At first she didn’t get a close enough look but the Aeon wheeled through the sky and she caught a glimpse of blonde hair. 

“Tidus!” She gasped out again. Seymour faked a confused look. 

“Tidus?” He asked and Yuna, startled, dropped her eyes back to him as the Aeon glided away, toward the Mi’Ihen highroad and out of sight. 

“Tidus is one of Summoner Harry’s guardian’s.” She explained eagerly, a faint frown crossing her features as she said her rival Summoner’s name. “If he was riding the Aeon it means they must be nearby.” She concluded correctly. Seymour smirked mentally. 

“Indeed it seems that that is the case, but with the operation, we can do nothing.” Yuna looked disappointed, she’d wanted to go and capture the traitors of Yevon almost as badly as Wakka had. Seymour turned away and went to speak with his own guardians as Wakka came forward. Lulu watched as Seymour quickly instructed the two Guado that followed him everywhere and dismissed them. 

‘This isn’t good.’ She thought as she watched them leave the command center. The black-mage had the feeling that they where going to go after Harry, but there was no way she could know for sure without going after them herself. Lulu sighed at her dilemma before leaning against one of the rough supports made to hold the material that qualified as walls. She’d let them go. There was nothing she could do and she wasn’t about to leave Yuna with a sweet talking bigot like Seymour. Harry and Tidus could handle themselves. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

Athena was crouched low in the ravine, out of sight of the highroad as Tidus reported back everything he’d seen during his impromptu flight. O'aka had produced a map of Spira and spread it out over the ground while everyone had taken seats on the ground and nearby rocks. 

“So…” Harry began to speak from his place by the crouched Aeon. “Is there a way through this we can take without actually encountering any of the fighters?” He asked looking at all of them. Both Tidus and Auron shook their heads. 

“Given these plans, however basic,” Auron said, ignoring the blonde’s dirty look, “The only way through would be to fight.” Harry looked at him for a moment before looking down at the plain black staff in his lap, deep in thought. He still had the feeling that they needed to be there, but there was still his self-imposed compulsion to keep his new guardians from coming to the same fate as his old ones. 

“Alright then.” He sighed, getting to his feet and shaking the pins and needles from his legs. “If there’s nothing else for it then we’ll have to join the fighting.” They could all see his reluctance. Quite frankly most didn’t blame him for it. They put away the maps and Athena hopped toward a wider part of the ravine before she spread her wings and took to the skies. Soaring majestically above them and out of sight, disappearing to wherever Aeons went when they weren’t needed as they made their way back to the opening to the northern area of the highroad. There was no one around. People had cleared out or crept into the operation while no one was there to guard the gate. Even so, as Tidus took the first few steps out into the open they where surprised when a pair of extremely long limbed humanoids stepped out of hiding.

“Guado.” Rikku growled out faintly as she slipped into a defensive stance in front of Harry and O'aka. Auron tensed beside them and shifted his grip on the sword he’d been carrying over his shoulder for most of the trip out of the ravine. 

“Halt! You’re coming with us!” They commanded holding their hands in front of them like they where going to cast a spell. Tidus took a step back and glanced at them warily. 

“And what if we don’t want to?” He asked, gaining a bit of bravado as his hand rested on the hilt of his sword. The Guado didn’t answer verbally. Instead they took his words as resistance and got ready to fight. Auron and Tidus readied their own weapons as Rikku and O'aka pulled Harry defensively behind them. The Guado made some movements with their spindly fingers and all of a sudden they where staring at a small horde of Fiends. It didn’t take Tidus long to make the connection between the presence of the Guado and the fiends summoned to the stadium in Luca. 

“It was you guys wasn’t it.” He murmured, getting a sharp look from Auron. Tidus just scowled and brought up his blade to deflect a charging Fiend before leaping into the fray. They got caught up in the fighting very quickly so they didn’t notice when the Guado left their guard posts at the back of the horde and made their way toward Harry. Rikku and O'aka had been pushed away by the fiends, leaving Harry to fend for himself. The dark haired Summoner was surrounded by a magical shield, which deflected their attacks. He was casting strange spells through it to stop or immobilize the fiends. He was so caught up in trying to keep the creatures off Rikku and O'aka that he failed to notice the Guado moving behind him until it was to late. His concentration and the shields where shattered as long limbs grabbed him and jerked the ebony staff from his grasp. He let out a yell in shock as the Guado guard snapped it over one knee before they began to head back toward the Command center. 

“Tidus!” The Summoner struggled in his captors grip as the blonde noticed his predicament.

“HARRY!” Ignoring the shouts from Auron and the others he left them behind with the remaining fiends, running as fast as his legs would take him in the direction the two Guado had gone. As he ran a cold fury began to settle over his mind. People shouted as he crashed though in the Guado’s wake and some of the guards challenged him as the sight of the sword in his hand but the blonde threw them off like it was nothing. The small remaining sane part of his mind was laughing bitterly as it remained focused on his distant target. He was going Berserk without the help of any black magic spell. All that mattered was protecting Harry and he’d taken it to heart, literally. 

Tidus dodged a Chocobo knight but didn’t recognize her as Elma. He jumped onto the lift that lead to the command center and stopped. Harry wasn’t on it…but a Guado was. The second had obviously gone on with Harry. The blonde’s expression was calculating as the lift began it’s accent toward the next level. For a few seconds there was no movement then a fiend burst into existence between them. Having no patience, Tidus quickly stabbed the leaping wolf and used it’s momentum to send it over the railing and to the ground far below. He turned back to the Guado but he wasn’t fast enough. A long fingered hand swung out toward him and smacked him across the face. He turned with it but the blow threw him off balance. Tidus lashed out again but this time nothing was going to work. The Guado knocked his sword from his hand and launched a sleep spell from him fingertips. It hit him dead on and as he faded into the magical sleep he felt the lift shudder to a halt. 

The small sane part of his mind cursed from here to kingdom come. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

SPLASH!

Tidus come to, cursing and spluttering as a mild water spell was cast over his head. The cold shock brought him reeling back to reality. 

“Aaaghhh!” He uttered a noise of alarm as he registered the fact that he was tied up with an exorbitant amount of ropes. Still feeling out how far he could move he looked up as a shadow fell across him. Two seconds was all the time he had to get ready for the blow as a smirking Seymour tossed Harry into his lap. The blue haired Guado looked down at them haughtily as Harry rolled off him and propped himself up against the rock face they sat before, his side pressed tightly against the blonde’s. 

“I’m glad you’re finally awake, now we can begin our little chat.” If looks could kill the older man would have been six feet under with the glare Tidus shot at him. However, that wasn’t the case and the Maester threw his head back and laughed. 

“You’re defiance is actually quite refreshing.” He said arrogantly. “When everyone just gives me what I want there’s no fun to be had.” Both captives wished they could have smacked the smirk off his face at that point. 

“Now…” Seymour purred darkly. “Who are you?” It was the million-gill question everyone had been asking since they’d reached Spira. “You, a Summoner…” He said looking pointedly at Harry. “And you, Sir Jecht’s son.” Seymour turned his piercing gaze to Tidus who’s glare increased nearly tenfold. The Guado ignored him and turned back to Harry. 

“I do find it strange that you should be named after one of the greatest figures in the history of all Spira.” Harry looked at him like he was mad. Spira? How was he a part of Spira? If Seymour saw his confusion he didn’t give any sign that he noticed it. “Of course, not many people know of the Master Summoner Harry James Potter. The first Summoner of our glorious age!” He broke eye contact and paced before them, shooting pensive looks out at the cove from the small recess they where hidden in. Both Tidus and Harry shifted uncomfortably at where this was going. Silently Tidus met Harry’s eye when the Maester looked away and noticed panic there. Suddenly the blonde was mad. This guy was freaking out Harry and that just didn’t swing with him. It didn’t take long for him to locate his blade sitting well out of reach behind the two Guado guards who had attacked them in the first place. Now… how to get to it…

His thoughts didn’t get any further than that as a lightning bolt from the basic thunder spell crashed down on his head. It started as a tingle, but a moment later he was almost writhing in pain as the electrical current gave his organs a good jolt. He’d thought, almost, as the ropes at his wrists and ankles prevented a fair bit of movement on his part, but that didn’t stop him from screaming. Standing above him Seymour gave a small noise of disgust. 

“Pathetic. I would have expected the Son of Jecht to be able to throw off the pain from one lightning bolt quite easily.” Tidus was panting faintly as he growled under his breath. 

“Yeah, well I’m not my father.” He spat out furiously, his limbs still twitching with residual shock. “There’s a big difference, besides, that gigantic moron couldn’t feel a damn thing he was so tanked.” Seymour gave him a shrewd look before he waved to his guardians and Tidus was shocked again for the hell of it. 

“Watch them!” Seymour ordered as he made his way to the path that lead back to the command center. “If they try to escape knock them out, we’ll take them with us back to Guadosalam after the operation, Sin will come for its Spawn after all.” With that he disappeared down the path and a few minutes after that there was an unearthly shriek as the cage full of Sin spawn was shocked by electricity. Tidus felt Harry shuffling toward him again, the Summoner having been pushed away when they’d shocked the blonde. 

“Are you alright?” He asked. As stupid as the question was Tidus couldn’t bring himself to snap in reply. Still, he nodded before everything suddenly went quiet out in the cove. One of the guards went to the edge of the recess and looked in the direction of the command center only to come stumbling back to his post a moment later. 

“The sin spawn has escaped its cage.” Harry and Tidus overheard his harsh whisper. “We must go to Lord Seymour.” The other Guado looked at the trussed up Summoner and his guardian before having a hand in their direction. Another thunder spell crashed down on the both of them before the Guado nodded. 

“They won’t be moving, let’s go.” The pair left their prisoners, running down the path and out of sight. As they left Harry quickly sat back up and looked down at where Tidus lay looking much worse than before. Outrage built up in his chest at the sight of him twitching like that. Power that didn’t belong to him reinforced his weakened limbs for a few seconds but it was enough to snap the rope that bound his hands. As fast as the surge had come it went and Harry fumbled with the ropes around his legs before going to work in the blonde’s bindings. 

“Come on Tidus, don’t pass out on me.” He muttered as he rolled him onto his back and checked his pulse. It was weak and erratic. 

“Shit, shit, shit, shit!” He cursed and looked around for something, anything that would allow him to cast magic. The hopeless panic he’d felt when Ron had almost died welled up inside him and it took all his self-control in order not to start crying. Then to make matters worse a brief pain shot through his scar before the mixed feelings of anger and concern pounded through his skull. Almost dreading what he would see he twisted his head around in order to look at the new being that was shuffling into the cove, practically roaring its fury. Something Seymour had said before he’d left came back to him then.

“Sin will come for its Spawn…” Harry whispered before looking back down at Tidus. “Did he come for you?” Even unconscious the blonde’s animosity toward his father showed as he groaned and shook his head. Harry just propped him up as best he could until his eyes fell on an object that their guards had forgotten about in their rush to leave. 

Tidus’s sword.

Gently laying his guardian back on the ground Harry scrambled to his feet and stumbled to the red tinted blade. He struggled to pick it up but managed nonetheless. Harry brought it back to the blonde and held it out over him, closing his eyes in order to concentrate. 

“Cure!” His magic channeled through the blade but it had none of the control he normally had with his staff. Harry quickly dropped it off to one side and looked down into the blonde’s face as he triggered scan. The Scan spell was passive white magic, therefore didn’t require a focus since it was cast directly into the body. Harry gave a small sound of relief when he saw the results of the healing spell. It had worked better than he’d expected. The damage to Tidus’s nerves and heart had been repaired, he would feel sore for a while, but he should be able to get up so they could get out of here. 

“Ughhh…” Tidus began to wake as Harry knelt down again and hovered close to his face.

“Tidus.” He whispered. Blue eyes opened and stared at him oddly before everything came flooding back to him. 

“Harry! Are you alright?” He asked urgently, ignoring the screaming pain in his muscles to grab the Summoner in a desperate hug. Harry just let him do so until the blonde backed off and looked around. “What happened?” He asked as he spied his sword next to them and picked it up. He struggled with it like Harry had but replaced it in the sheath the guards hadn’t thought to remove. Harry turned slightly and pointed to the opening. They climbed to their feet and limped to the entrance of the alcove, only to stop when they saw the carnage that was stretched out below them. 

Chocobo knights and Crusaders where fighting along the edges of the water as a wave of fiends rose to meet them and above, on the cliffs, large cannons where firing rapidly at Sin. The great monster himself loomed above the chaos like a harbinger of death as a mix of horror and rage swept away most of Tidus’s coherent thoughts. Only the feel of the Summoner helping him stay upright prevented him from going nuts again. He couldn’t help but shout out helplessly as Sin’s shield, the magic preventing him from being hit, blasted out toward the attackers, destroying the ground forces. There was nothing they could do but watch as the Al Bhed machina at one end of the cove began to fire. A radiant beam of red light and plasma shot from the end of the crane like structure that held the weapon in place. For a moment it looked as though it might be working as the shield around Sin buckled under the force of the energy. Tidus willed furiously for the weapon to work and hurt his father, if he could even be called that anymore. But as if just to spite him the energy field was suddenly reinforced and it exploded outward once more. 

A cataphony of screams and cries of pain were all that was left in sin’s wake as it turned and left the cove. The danger passed. Tidus and Harry just stared for a long time afterward as the surviving Al Bhed and Crusaders scrambled to find those worth saving. A shuffle up the path along the cliff face brought them out of their trance. Harry looked to see a crusader shuffling toward them and it was Tidus who recognized him. 

“Gatta?” He asked in a strangled tone. The dark skinned islander looked up with dead eyes, barely even registering their presence as he stumbled into them. Tidus took his arms from around Harry to catch him and settled him down on the stone ground. How the young man had managed to get up here in his state confused them. 

“What happened Gatta?” Harry asked, kneeling down in front of him and prying his hands away from his face. Gatta looked at him unseeingly. 

“He’s Gone… Luzzu is gone…” He said listlessly before his lip curled and his nose crumpled as he tried to fight off tears, but failed miserably. 

“That’s it, I’m going to kill my old man!” Tidus declared in a growl filled with utter loathing. Harry let go of Gatta’s hands and stood up to face him. 

“We’ll kill him later.” He declared equally as fiercely, “But right now we have to get out of here. We’re not ready to face Sin yet and if you haven’t noticed I don’t have a staff anymore.” Harry’s words where like a bucket of icy water that extinguished the larger part of his rage. The blonde sighed. No matter how much he wanted to go after him his father would just have to wait. He met Harry’s eyes before looking down at the weeping Crusader… he wasn’t any older than themselves…

“Let’s go.” He said tiredly reaching down to hoist up Gatta without hurting himself again. “We need to find Auron and the others.” Harry nodded and got on Gatta’s other side as they shuffled down the path in an awkward sideways single file line. 

Long after they’d gone the Guado would return and find only the cut ropes to say they’d even been there to begin with.

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

By the time they found the lost members of their party they’d discovered just how absolute the carnage was. Crusaders lay everywhere, either dead already or on the brink of passing into eternal slumber. Tidus was fuming silently while Harry wore a stony expression that spoke volumes. Rikku had been ready to leap at them as they approached but stopped when she noticed the cloud that loomed above them all, she wisely remained silent as they came to a halt. 

“It’s time to leave.” Auron said in his blank monotone. Harry looked up and nodded but didn’t move. Instead he let Tidus take Gatta and walked over to O'aka where he riffled through the pack on the surprised merchant’s back. Rikku was about to ask what he was doing when he pulled out a short pole. It was one of the staff materials O'aka had picked up in Luca. The sandy wood didn’t fit Harry’s dark look as he approached the beach. 

“He’s going to send!” O'aka gasped out. He was right to. Harry didn’t walk out on to the water this time. Instead he kicked off his sandals and stopped by the water’s edge. As he began the dance waves of power swept out to take hold of all the souls of the dead. The will behind his movements was wild and unfocused but it was effective nonetheless. The bright motes of light, the pyre flies, flocked to him, it shook the others to see just how many came when he called. He was mid-way through the dance when Tidus heard a pained grunt from behind him. Letting Gatta slump to the ground he turned his head to one side and searched for the source. It came as no little shock to find that it had been Auron. Alarmed the blonde turned fully and nearly ran toward the rock wall that the old guardian had backed up to. Auron clutched his chest, his expression twisted into a grimace as he squeezed his eyes shut behind his sunglasses. 

“Too strong.” He heard the old man mutter before he looked back to see Harry going through the final steps of the sending. From this distance the former blitzer could feel more than see that the Summoner was crying again. Tidus knew he hated having to do the sending more that he hated watching it. It was just to freaking sad and when Harry did it, it as downright heart breaking. Auron would be fine, the tough old man had lived this long he would live a thousand more years just to spite him. Without a second thought he walked back to the waters edge as the pyre flies made their assent and caught Harry in a hug from behind. 

“Now we can go.” Tidus sighed and then let go before looking at where everyone else had gathered around Gatta, even Auron who looked as if nothing had happened.

“Alright, lets find somewhere for the night.”

No one argued.

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

They ended up camping out on the cliffs that rose above the Djose highroad. Even with the incident with Sin they didn’t want to get near the Djose temple before everyone had cleared out. It had been a few days now and the Crusaders below didn’t look like they where going to leave any time soon.

“I wonder what Captain Lucil is doing.” Gatta pondered from where he lay on his stomach about two meters to Tidus’s left, staring down at the lightning temple. The blonde just shrugged and made a little dismissive noise. 

“Who cares?” He said, back to his old self. It seemed that the berserker state he’d entered when Harry had been taken away was gone… for now. It had been strange and Rikku had been weirded out by the changes it had wrought on him. For nearly a day after the whole incident with he’d been overly violent and short tempered, he’d only calmed down when he’d gotten a hold of Harry again. It was unusual coming out of it and being conscious, after all this hadn’t been the first time. Back in Zanarkand he’d gone nuts a lot, mostly because of his father, but his episodes had been ignored and passed off as childish tantrums. Rage, vindictiveness… every kind of anger you could possibly feel plagued him, sitting just behind a door in his mind. He’d told Harry about it that night and the Summoner had given an odd expression, now he was tromping around the nearby area with O'aka looking for potions ingredients.

Anyway, those thoughts aside, everything had lead up to him laying in the knee-high grass and keeping watch on the temple below. 

“Hey!” Gatta gave him a faintly peeved look in response to his previous flippant comment. “It could be important! She usually doesn’t hang around this long. She should have moved north looking for Chocobo’s by now.” Tidus rolled his eyes. 

“Whatever soldier boy.” The guardian responded, propping his chin on his hand and looking at the crossroads lazily. “I just wish they’d go already.” Gatta ‘humphed’ but didn’t say anything else. He was another odd character. He’d been a wreck not long ago but now he was running around again like nothing had happened, but Tidus could still see the haunted look in his eyes when he thought no one was looking. He’d had it tough, he was only fifteen, Rikku’s age, and to top it all off his mentor had been killed and the body washed up on the beach for him to find not long after. Still, he’d been vulnerable after the whole shit load of problems that dropped on his head and needed someone to follow, so he’d attached himself to their group. Harry hadn’t complained, nor had anyone else for that matter… well, if you didn’t count Auron’s irritation. 

Even though Gatta seemed to enjoy hanging around Rikku he tended to crawl after the grizzled older man, asking questions about fighting and fiends and the rest of Spira in general. Tidus had just laughed, not doing a thing to help.

“You know… I could go down there and take a look.” Huh? Tidus opened his eyes from when he’d drifted off and looked over at the other teen. 

“What are you talking about?” He asked as Gatta got a glint in his eye. 

“I could go down there and see why it’s taking Captain Lucil so long to get moving. I haven’t been seen with you guys yet so I bet they would tell me if I asked.” Tidus gave him a semi incredulous look before he realized it was probably the only option they had if they really wanted to know what was going on. 

“Fine.” He answered at last. “But go run it by Harry and Auron first, and if you so much as slip about Harry’s whereabouts I will hunt you down and decapitate you.” Gatta took the threat in stride as he wriggled away from his post and jumped to his feet, running back to camp. The death threats where normal for him now, just like they where for Rikku. She was their little sister and Gatta was fast becoming their kid brother in the dysfunctional family they’d cobbled together since they’d arrived in Spira. 

With a sigh of exasperation Tidus crawled clear of the cliff and stood up, shaking his arms and legs to get the feeling back into them before he made his way back to camp. The crusaders weren’t going anywhere so he really didn’t have to keep watch anymore. He stretched languidly before heading off after Gatta. 

Damn that kid was making him feel old.


	9. I am, I am a Harry.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stopover is made in Djose.

Harry had been brewing something when Tidus got back to camp. The Summoner was deftly stirring, cutting and mixing the ingredients in the caldron he must have transfigured from something. The potion itself smelled like rotten fruit and was a teal color that swirled with streaks of silver as it was stirred. Gatta was already picking up some small objects he’d left lying around the campfire and Auron was nowhere to be seen, most likely hiding from the dark skinned native of Besaid. 

“Where’s Auron?” He asked, sitting down as close as he could get to Harry without disturbing him. 

“Checking out the road to the moonflow.” He answered distractedly; tipping in a load of powdered something from a transfigured mortar. Tidus leaned back on his hands and looked up at the sky. It was still relatively early in the day. 

“Gatta wants to go down to the Temple and find out why the Crusaders aren’t moving.” Harry shot him a look and stirred the concoction a few times as it gave a puff of smoke and turned white. 

“Hand.” Harry ordered, holding out his own, still looking deep in thought. 

“Gatta go into the woods with O'aka or something and come back in an hour, don’t go down to the temple yet.” There was no room for argument in the Summoner’s tone and the islander skulked off into the trees. Once he was gone Harry pulled off the glove and revealed a knife holding it above a finger. 

“What’s this about?” The blonde asked, eyeing the blade apprehensively. Harry gave him a reassuring smile, finally loosing his distracted look. 

“You told me the other day that you became irrationally angry, I had an idea about what it might be but I don’t know for sure. This will tell me if I’m right or not. All it needs to finish it is a few drops of blood.” Tidus looked at the white potion and then back to the knife before he nodded. Harry made a quick slash with the blade and let the blood drip into the caldron before whipping the excess away and bringing it up to his lips. Tidus felt a chill going through his hand before Harry let go of it and the guardian realized what the Summoner had done. 

“Whoa! That gives a whole new meaning to the saying ‘Kissing it better’.” Harry grinned at him tiredly before he grabbed the roughly crafted staff he and O'aka had designed over the last few days and transfigured a rock into a wide pan. Picking up the now gold potion he poured it into the pan and watched as it sloshed against the rim like a storm was stirring it within the confines of the transfigured metal. Then Tidus was reduced to watching in shock as the potion rose from the pan and twisted its mass into the shape of a dragon. 

It was gold all over and had a silver and green crest on its chest that looked like the necklace he always wore. When the living potion creature opened its eyes it stared at him with orbs that where an eerie solid blue, Tidus reached out with a gloved hand to touch it, but it went right through. The creature roared but reformed again when he pulled the hand away. 

“What is it?” He asked as the tiny dragon paced around the pan. 

“This is a model of what your Animagus form looks like.” Harry said throwing him a smile as the dragon suddenly began to melt into nothing, leaving no indication as to whether or not it had even been there. A staff wave later and everything that Harry had been using for the potion disappeared, the magic that held them to their shape having been dispelled. “It’s also why you have problems with your anger.” He went on, shifting a little closer to the blonde now that he didn’t have to concentrate. 

“Dragons are very proud, possessive and noble creatures. Trust me, if you upset one you need to be able to run away fast.” The guardian detected a hint of exasperation in those words but said nothing as he listened to Harry’s lecture. “An animagus form is basically the shape out our inner beast, although I’ve never seen a dragon before. Usually wizards don’t have magical creatures as a form because as far as I know, no one’s been powerful enough, but somehow your inner beast has been influencing you. Like I said, Dragons are very proud creatures and won’t tolerate a slight against them.” Tidus was quiet as he looked at the place where the little golden dragon had been before. 

“What do they do? The animagus forms I mean.” Harry gave a slightly bitter smile as he remembered something from his past. 

“We become them. Wizards change their shape and join with the beast to utilize their power.” Tidus looked startled.

“You mean I can turn into that?” He asked incredulously. Harry laughed loudly. 

“Yes.” He said when he got the giggles under control. “I was never able to become one but I knew others who could. One of my old guardians, Neville could become a lion. I sat in on his lessons so I can guide you through the change, that’s if you want to learn…” Tidus sat up rigid. 

“Are you kidding me, if I can get this under control I won’t have to worry whether or not I’m going to hurt someone the next time I go nuts.” He emphasized the point by sliding an arm around the Summoner. Harry smiled and shook his head, no doubts there. 

“Ok, first lesson then.” He said, sliding away and sitting in front of Tidus. “Getting your mind organized.” An hour and one completely distracted Guardian later Harry called back everyone else and after a serious session of playing mother hen, Gatta finally made his way down the cliffs and staggered off down the Djose highroad toward the temple. From their perch on the cliffs the rest of the group watched in tense silence as a patrol picked him up and rushed him off to their makeshift command center. Harry felt Tidus shuffle closer as they listened to the stone that Harry had charmed to hear everything that was said within ten meter’s of Gatta. 

“Captain Lucil! Another Survivor was found on the highroad today, M’am!” Some unknown Crusader was saying in a military tone. Not long after the calm but strict tone of the Captain of the Chocobo Knights sounded from the stone. 

“What’s your name and rank?” She asked as footsteps shuffled around them. There was a cry of a Chocobo from somewhere in their vicinity but no one seemed to pay it any heed. 

“I… I’m Gatta, ma’m.” The young islander managed to stutter out. “I was one of the soldiers guarding the command center during the operation…” He seemed to trail off and his voice took on a strained tone as he spoke. Rikku whispered that he sounded like he was ready to cry again but thankfully he didn’t. The topic was already reminding him of Sir Luzzu so the last thing he needed was to burst into tears in front of his commanding officer. 

“We’ll Gatta, I’m glad you are well. There have been very few survivors among our ranks, we’ve waited days to find who ever we could and clean up the bodies that have washed ashore.” There was an awkward kind of silence before Gatta spoke up again.

“Uh… Captain? Permission to speak?” Lucil must have nodded because Gatta continued on with his thought. “I was wondering… is that why you and the others are still here?” He asked, pausing nervously. “I would have thought you and the other knights would have moved on to the north by now, searching out Chocobo’s.” It was an innocent enough question and Lucil seemed to see no reason not to tell him. 

“We’ve been waiting here in hopes that we can find the Summoner who performed the sending in the cove that day.” She said tiredly and there was a sound as Gatta shifted slightly. Back on the cliffs the other guardians had frozen after hearing that comment.

“Why do you think there is a Summoner out there?” Gatta asked in a voice that thankfully didn’t betray his thoughts. Lucil sighed.

“Lady Yuna did try to take credit for the sending.” The captain conceded. “But I feel that she was not the one to do so. Maester Seymour vanished from the battle site too quickly to have sent those souls on to the far plain. The other Summoner’s who have passed through the temple have also denied having done so, leaving only the possibility that the Summoner some of my men and the Al Bhed refer to as the ‘Master Summoner’ is still out there somewhere.” Gatta wasn’t the only one who was surprised. O'aka nearly fell off the cliff in shock while, Auron grabbed him so he didn’t, in fact, fall. Harry took a deep breath in a pitiful attempt to clear his mind before he looked back at the stone, nearly glaring. 

“There’s that name again!” The Summoner hissed. “First the people in Kilika, then Seymour and that bloody legend and now this!” The anger he seemed to display would have fooled anyone else, but to his four guardians it was all just a facade to cover the fact that the teenage Summoner was scared out of his mind. Auron frowned, as did Tidus who abruptly reached out and pulled the other boy into his lap for what was probably the millionth time in as many days. Harry sat there looking pale and small as they focused on the stone again in time to hear Gatta being dismissed. A few minutes later they heard a quiet thump and then only the distant babble of the temples inhabitants. Gatta spoke up again but this time it was directed at them.

“Did you hear all that?” He asked before he realized he wasn’t going to get an answer and hurried on. “They’re waiting for Harry, I asked Lucil why, although you probably heard that, I think she was being honest when she said that everyone here where friends. I think I might try asking one of the priest’s about it though. They usually follow whatever the Maester’s say…” His one sided conversation ended as he got up again and found one of the monks to speak with. The monk had replied to the questions with absolute certainty in his tone. 

“Traitor or not, the young Summoner did a great service by performing the sending.” The monk had said. “If he see’s fit to pass through the temple we will not bar his way.” There was no lie in their voices. 

“They are beginning to see a change.” Auron said in his low monotone a few minutes later when Harry didn’t look like he was going to pass out anymore. “All the Warrior monks have left the temple.” He pointed out the fact coolly. “They crossed the Moonflow not long after the Maester’s and Yuna did. The monks know something isn’t right.” He concluded. The other’s lapsed into silence and Gatta’s voice came out of the charmed stone again. 

“So do you think it would be alright to come down?”

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

Harry and Tidus sat a good way away from the camp while the other guardian’s went about tearing it down. The Summoner still looked pale as her stared blankly into thin air, thinking hard. It was a while before he spoke. 

“Tidus… what would you say if I told you I was born thousands of years in the past?” For a moment Tidus didn’t say anything, he just went on absentmindedly rearranging Harry’s messy hair with no real recognition of what he was doing.

“Well…” He began at last. “I just saw the destruction of Zanarkand a thousand years ago, so the idea wouldn’t be all that… weird.” Harry gave a little nod before he looked up at the lazy clouds floating off to the south as the sun began it’s decent toward the horizon in the west. 

“Then what if I told you that my full name is Harry James Potter.” It took a few seconds of the comment to sink in and a good minute before he remembered where he’d heard the name before. It took a moment after that to put it all together in a form his mind would understand.

“Shit, Harry I…” He began but Harry cut in softly.

“Don’t tell the others.” He said, not looking back at the blonde. “They don’ t need to know. It’s bad enough the people of Spira call me that now, if it got around that I really was the Master Summoner… I don’t think I could handle it a second time.” Silence fell again and Tidus didn’t really think as he tightened his grip on the Summoner briefly before letting go. 

“It’s time to go now.” The blonde guardian said, taking a glance back at where the others where waiting for them patiently. Harry nodded and got to his feet and for a moment anyone looking up at the cliffs would have seen him standing there, looking far more imposing than he really was, makeshift staff held in both hands, it’s gold color standing out brightly against his dark robe. For a moment Tidus could see the kind of person that lived hidden deep under everything that had been piled on him in life as he held out a hand to help him up. 

For Harry it was like another burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He’d told Tidus the truth and he’d accepted it with next to no thought. The blonde would keep his secret, and for the teenage Summoner, it made the world look just a little brighter.

“Let’s go!”

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

Gatta fidgeted by the bridge that lead to the temple as he waited for his new friends to arrive. Although he hadn’t heard them make any decisions he’d sure as hell seen Harry on the cliff and that was answer enough. Another patrol marched out past him along the highroad and Gatta let out a sigh.

“When are they going to get here already?” He sagged against the railing before a voice spoke up from directly beside him.

“Who’s going to get here?” The newcomer asked and Gatta nearly jumped out of his skin in shock as he got a good look at who it was. 

“RIKKU! DON’T DO THAT!!” He yelled, making a lunge at the blonde who laughed uproariously and skipped out of the way of his clumsy strikes. After one particular attempt he found himself overbalancing and nearly went into a swan dive toward the stones of the bridge only to come to an abrupt halt in mid air, floating comically just a foot from eating dirt. 

“Hey! I did it!” O'aka’s loud voice announced his victory before the spell he was using cut out and Gatta went the last foot to the ground anyway, knocking the wind right out of him. “Ooops, I lost it.” He said belatedly as Gatta crawled to his hands and knees only to be grabbed by the back of the shirt and hoisted off the ground before being set back on his feet by a familiar red clad figure, Auron. There was a soft laugh behind him and the islander turned to find Tidus standing slightly to the left of and behind the dark haired Summoner looking generally amused.

“You’re improving O'aka.” He said with the faintest of smiles. “But I don’t think Gatta would quite appreciate being used for levitation practice.” The ex-merchant gave him a sheepish look and a muttered ‘sorry’. Harry paced along the bridge before turning back to face his guardian’s.

“Last chance to turn back.” He mused pensively. Auron raised an eyebrow. 

“Not having doubts are you?” He asked, his voice tinged with humor that might have gone unnoticed. Harry gave him a withering look and shook his head. 

“Then what are we waiting for?” Rikku asked loudly, “Let’s get moving!” Tidus rolled his eyes as they set off once more. This time, all together. 

Their group encountered more and more people as they approached the temple and as Harry stepped off the bridge the huge stone building suddenly sprang to life. Half the crusaders and the monks nearly leapt out of their skin in shock as the rocks began to rotate around the temple, lightning dancing around it’s spires and energy practically sizzling through the air. 

“Cool.” Tidus said as he looked at the spectacle. “But didn’t you say that the place only lit up like that when someone was with the Fayth?” The last part had been directed at Auron. The old man was frowning again. 

“Yes…” He confirmed Tidus’s thought. “But there are no other Summoner’s here.” He looked at Harry with slightly narrowed eyes before they where distracted by an approaching group. Until now the inhabitants of the temple had stayed back but Captain Lucil and the head priest of the temple where walking toward them. Both flanked by their respective… sidekicks. Unconsciously the guardians slid into formation around Harry, eyeing the newcomer’s warily. 

“Oh! Hello! I didn’t know you where a guardian! Where’s your brother?” The tension that had begun to build drained away like someone had pulled the plug from underneath them. That somebody was, of course, Clasko. Tidus suddenly had to resist the urge to burst out laughing as Rikku blinked stupidly at the question, confused beyond all hell. 

“Brother?” She asked, her hand moving toward her face as she played with her lip. Clasko’s smile faltered before there was a snort from somewhere behind her. Tidus was now bent double, leaning on Harry and nearly cracking his ribs in an attempt to keep quiet, unfortunately, he was failing that particular task miserably. A lot of the others around them just stared at him dumbly, not getting why the guardian had just lost it like that. 

“I think he meant me Rikku.” Harry spoke up as he gently patted the chocking blonde on the back. Rikku’s eyes widened as she remembered and suddenly she smiled. 

“Oh, Ry wasn’t my brother!” She slipped in her nickname for him. “He just did something funny that made him look like he was my brother, so that you’ think he was my brother, but he really wasn’t my brother, but you didn’t know he was my brother, so he was my brother, but he wasn’t my brother and is this even making any sense to anyone?” 

More blank stares answered her question and in the background Tidus laughed a little harder… if it was even possible. 

Soon enough though the temple priest shook off his surprise and moved before Harry, bowing deeply and giving the prayer. 

“Summoner Harry. Will you be entering the temple?” He asked, blatantly ignoring Tidus. Green eyes studied him for a moment before the Summoner nodded. 

“Thank you for allowing us to visit the temple.” He said with a brief bow but leaving out the prayer. It didn’t really feel right to use it. The monk smiled at him.

“We would never turn anyone away, traitor to Yevon or no. Maester Seymour did insist that you be captured but we are peaceful peoples. None wish to see anyone hurt by our actions.” Harry nodded in understanding. 

“Neither do I.” He answered honestly, his tone faintly haunted. “Neither do I.”

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

The air in the temple was so charged with electricity that Harry’s hair stood on end, making him look as though he’d been shocked himself. The cloister of trials presented no real problems for them. With all six members of their party working together they found the chamber of the Fayth in no time. Harry entered on his own as the others scattered around the room Rikku pulled out a deck of cards Harry had been teaching her to play with and began a game of ‘Go Fish’ with Gatta while she waited. No one had really said anything about Gatta coming with them. It was just a fact of life that those really dedicated to Harry would follow him to the ends of the earth and back and nothing would stop them. Tidus was proof of that after all. O'aka and Auron watched them silently from not far away while Tidus sat right beside the entrance to the Chamber of the Fayth. Time dragged out and the blonde nearly fell asleep, lulled by the resonating hymn of the Fayth as he sang along quietly. He didn’t notice Auron watching him as he zoned out, focused on two things. The door Harry had gone through and the hymn. 

After what felt like an eternity there was a rumble and the door to the Chamber of the Fayth slid open. Not a second later Harry stumbled out and smiled weakly before his knees gave way. Tidus caught him and eased him to the stone floor before crouching down beside him and checking him over. 

“You alright?” He asked and Harry nodded, a spark of electricity dancing through his hands, which clutched his staff tightly. 

“You took a while.” Auron said coming over to them. “Night has fallen already.” Nearly everyone looked out the barred windows of the antechamber in surprise. They hadn’t noticed that the sun had set in the near constant blue flickering light of the temple. 

“Hmmm…” Harry acknowledged tiredly. “We’ll stay here tonight.” With that said he drifted off to sleep, his skin still buzzing as Tidus picked him up and lead the way out of the temple.

But once more, for whatever reason Rikku stopped when she saw a glint coming from a crack in a wall. Curious she grabbed a grenade from the pouch attached to the thigh and shoved it into the gap and pulled the pin. She ducked behind a wall just in time as debris exploded outward. Once the dust had cleared the Al Bhed girl crept forward and looked at the sconce that had been revealed. The only thing within was a long object that shone as the flickering blue lightning of the temple danced over its black and silver surface. She reached in and pulled out the staff, shocked when she discovered the emerald the size of her fist attached to the end. The shaft was made of a strange black wood that ate up the light around it and was inlaid with silver wire that formed strange patterns up and down its three-foot length that sparked with electricity. 

It instantly reminded her of Harry and if it wasn’t compatible with him she’d eat her glove.


	10. Moonflow and Leviathan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone crosses the moonflow. With some surprising help.

Harry drifted back to the land of the waking in a daze, feeling heavy and warm as his green eyes began to blink away sleep. He remembered the day before and everything that had happened right up to when he’d passed out after leaving the Chamber of the Fayth. Anything after that, however, was a complete mystery, prompting the Summoner to get up and find out where he was now. 

Well he would, had he been able to get up in the first place. 

Green eyes glanced down at his waist where an arm was pinning him to the bed and he could feel the weight of a body against his back so he quickly came to the conclusion that it was Tidus. Subconsciously he got a faint twinge of disappointment when he realized he was still dressed. Carefully he tried prying the blonde’s hands off him but the possessive grip was just a tad too strong. It didn’t help that whatever was going on in his mind was causing the skin visible on his arm to turn gold. Harry knew that it was an uncontrolled reaction to the guardian’s emotions. It seemed now that he had an image of what he could change into, the animal side of him was simply trying to force itself out without any regard to the rules that governed the transformation. Although that was probably because Tidus had pretty much accepted his wild side already. 

The Summoner quickly figured that even though he couldn’t get up he could roll over and quickly did so, bringing himself face to face with the one holding him. Tidus looked peaceful in sleep, for once. The blonde hadn’t slept that well during their time in Spira. Harry knew that well enough because his guardian refused to even leave him alone in the bathroom, let alone in a bed. (Fortunately in those cases, Tidus had just waited against the door.) Harry removed his arms from where they’d been squashed between their bodies and traced a line down the Guardian’s nose. Tidus twitched in irritation when he felt it and tried to bury his face in the pillow, never once letting go of Harry. The summoner smiled a little and traced along his ears. Tidus moaned this time and rubbed his ear against his shoulder. 

‘Alright…’ Harry thought to himself. ‘Gold skin means really sensitive.’ Suddenly he found himself grinning wickedly and his hands shot toward any exposed skin. The blonde’s eyes snapped open in shock as he let out a surprised scream before it trailed off into nearly gut busting laughter. 

“HARRY!” He managed to yell out amid the laughter. “Stop!” Not thirty seconds later the rest of his guardians piled into the room, making the door bang into the wall and rebound right into O'aka’s stunned face. They all saw the small figure of Harry pinning Tidus to the bed and tickling him mercilessly while their fellow guardian laughed helplessly with a ‘help me’ look on his oddly gold tinged face. Auron just laughed outright and held out a hand to Rikku who groaned and dragged a handful of Gil out of her pocket and dumped them in his hand. They’d been betting on whether or not Harry was going to get sick of Tidus’s mothering and do something. Naturally, the old guardian had won. The four then simply walked out of the room, leaving Tidus to get what was coming to him. Harry waited until the door was shut before he finally let up on the attack and stopped, still sitting on top of Tidus. 

It was around then that the pair realized what kind of position they where in and that was enough for the guardian’s face to go red, dispelling the effects of the botched transformation. Harry felt a rush of dizziness go to his head as he sat there, almost afraid to move… then he rolled off, and it was Tidus’ turn to feel the disappointment. He propped himself up on his elbows as Harry looked over the edge of the bed in search of his sandals and over robe. 

_‘Why do you keep pushing me away?’_ Tidus thought to himself, desperately wanting to ask the question out loud.

_‘I’m afraid.’_ A little voice in the back of his mind replied to the unspoken words. _‘I’m afraid that if I let myself love you, you’ll vanish just like my other guardians did.’_ Tidus thought about the words for a moment before his eyes widened in surprise.

“What the hell?!?” He said out loud as the Summoner grabbed his staff and was reaching for the door handle to leave the room. He froze at the ill-timed outburst looked over his shoulder, a faint sparkle of curiosity in his eyes. Tidus swung his legs over the side and got up, jamming his feet into his sneakers before he crossed the room. “You heard that, didn’t you.” 

It wasn’t a question. 

His blue eyes shone with certainty as he reached out to the hand that was resting on the door handle and pulled it away. 

“I’m not going to go away.” Harry went pale as he realized what Tidus was talking about. 

“How?” he managed to gasp out before Tidus puled him close again.

“Dragon thing.” He answered, blaming the most logical source of the telepathic outburst. Harry stared up at him blankly before the life slowly came back to his expression. 

“So you promise you wont go?” he asked, his quiet voice layered with a power that made the blonde’s skin tingle.

“Yeah.” He said without hesitation. “I swear I’ll never leave you or Spira.” He didn’t know exactly why he included Spira in his oath, but the hesitant smile Harry gave him soon made him forget. 

“You’d do that…for me?” he asked hopefully and Tidus nodded in conformation. 

“Yup.” Without really thinking Harry just let go. One minute he was standing by the door with Tidus holding his hands and the next he was kissing him fiercely with his arms threaded around his neck. His guardian’s eyes widened in shock before he began to kiss back. A round of tonsil hockey later Harry finally managed to pull himself away and smiled as he saw the goofy grin that was slowly blossoming over the blonde’s face.

“You can’t believe how long I’ve been wanting to do that.” Tidus drawled, nearly intoxicated. Harry rolled his eyes and bent to pick up his staff from where he dropped it when he’d practically jumped on the blonde. Even as he schooled his features into a more normal expression his eyes practically glowed with life. Uncontrolled and wild power was flowing off him as he went to open the door once more. He looked back at the last second and smiled. 

“Don’t tell the others yet.” He said softly. “I want to enjoy this while it lasts.” Tidus nodded dumbly as Harry finally left the room. It wasn’t till then that he dared to move in the direction of the bathroom. 

‘Damnit, Damnit, Damnit, Damnit… why did that kiss have to be so good?’ he asked himself, making sure he wasn’t going to broadcast again as he took care of a little problem.

 

_______________________________________________

 

Gatta and O'aka where confused. 

Ever since Harry had woken up that morning he’d been… brighter than he’d ever seemed before. Hell, he was moody and often lost in thought but the Summoner held himself a little higher, now more so than ever, the weight on his shoulders had been somewhat lifted over the past two days and if it wasn’t obvious before it was blatantly so now. Of course, unlike Rikku and Auron, the pair didn’t quite understand ‘why’ it was that Harry was buzzing with energy as he talked with Captain Lucil and the other crusaders. They where finally heading north. A small contingent of fighters where to stay at the temple and help protect it but the rest needed supplies and other things that couldn’t be found in the area. After all, they’d stayed to wait for Harry in the first place and now that they where sure of his safety and status with Yevonites they didn’t mind going on ahead. 

“We’ll clear the way.” Clasko had said as Harry and Rikku waved him and the other Chocobo knights off. Eventually the frantic pace of the morning slowed and Harry decided it was time to leave. 

“As nice as it would be,” he said wistfully as the sun reached it’s peak in the sky, “we can’t stay here.” The guardians agreed and Tidus gave him a lopsided smile.

“Maybe we can come back later.” He suggested brightly. Harry gave him a smile before they went to get ready, but before he could get far Rikku spoke up, or rather, just squealed. 

“Oh, Oh! Hey Ry! You’ll never guess what I found!” She bounced on the spot as everyone stopped and watched her flee toward her room before running back with a long object in her hands. She came to a skidding halt in front of the dark haired Summoner and held out the object with a grin that nearly split her face in two. In her hands was the staff. 

“I found it in the temple.” She chirped brightly. “I blew out a wall and this was behind it and I thought it must be yours. "Cause it’s all black, with the emerald like your eyes and it has pretty lightning all over it just like that really faint scar on your head I saw when you where sleeping back on Kilika.” At her words Auron’s head snapped up to look at her with a fixated expression but shifted silently and didn’t pursue the issue as he watched Harry speculatively, his suspicions already forming. Everyone else, fortunately, where oblivious. Harry didn’t take his eyes off the staff as he offered Rikku a kind of distracted smile. Along its side there where engravings, inlaid with silver wire that wove a pattern, and for a moment, under the dancing sparks of electricity, they almost looked as if they where alive.

An owl soared down its length behind a largish dog, a fox, a wolf, another bird, this one smaller and a moon calf. His face nearly drained of all colour as he realized what they looked like and where he’d seen them before. His good mood from that morning went crashing down around him as he reached out and took it from Rikku’s grasp only to have the magic around them sing in recognition, not unlike the reaction a wand had when it found the one who could wield it to its full potential. Rikku was staring at him, confused by his reaction as Tidus listened absently to the faint and panicked ramblings of Harry’s mind. 

“What’s wrong, Ry?” The Al Bhed asked, leaning over slightly to see up into Harry’s face. Green eyes didn’t budge from the staff in his hands. 

“Nothing Rikku.” He said quietly, “Just old memories.” Rikku opened her mouth to apologize but Auron abruptly cleared his throat. 

“We need to leave soon.” He said in a voice close to monotone. “And we still need to find a way past the warriors guarding the Shoopuff , not to mention how we will pass Guadosalam.” Harry ripped his eyes away from the staff and looked at the grizzled guardian. 

“Right.” He said with a tone that dismissed his previous air, pushing his memories back into the depths of his mind and bringing himself back to reality. 

“You’d best get back to preparing. We’ll leave in an hour or two.” With nods and a happy ‘Yes’ from Rikku and Gatta they dispersed to their duties once more. Harry went back to his room, with Tidus on his tail. The blonde stole a kiss before he went about repacking his backpack. Grabbing the robe he’d left on a chair, Harry went out into the temple grounds alone and sat down on one of the natural rock stairs that framed the area around the temple. Sitting there he opened himself to the magic and the bleak place sprung to life in a blaze of colour and sound that only he could see. 

Ever present was the giant throbbing blue node of power the electrified temple sat on. There had been one in Kilika too, the ley crossings of this world where most powerful where the Fayth rested. Aside from that though, were the auras of those around him and that of the numerous small creatures that infested the area. The local’s called them monkeys, but Harry thought they looked more like a mix between a cat and a dog rather than a monkey. The human presence wasn’t as numerous as he carefully looked at the Inn. 

It was as if the walls didn’t exist really. A golden pyre of energy burned in the place where Tidus stood, imprinted with the shape of a dragon that loomed beside the temple node, gaining clarity almost disturbingly quick. Not far away was a smaller, but still impressive red aura that was tightly controlled by its owner. That was Auron, without a doubt. Gatta was hanging around him again too it seemed. His aura was white, but a sharp slash of sickly green that represented pain split it almost in two. Rikku’s Aura sang under his scrutiny. It was a sunny yellow that he nearly couldn’t see behind that of Tidus. It was this that confused the Summoner more often than not. They where either very alike in personality or they had a common ancestor, in order to display such similarities. The fact itself was the reason why it was easy for anyone to mistake the for brother and sister. 

Last but not least was O'aka. The merchant’s aura was purple. A funny colour for sure but after seeing Lulu’s previously, Harry knew it was probably due to his affinity for black magic. The new black mage was coming along in his studies too, but the wily ex-merchant still had a habit of beating people over the head with his staff if they irritated him enough. Not that it was bad of course, O'aka could hit HARD!

Harry was so caught up in observing everyone from a magical perspective that he didn’t notice when one of the young monks in training approached. The child, a little girl, tugged on his sleeve shyly, shattering his concentration in a heartbeat. He jumped slightly and looked down a little to see the child’s hesitant smile. Harry offered her one in return and raised an eyebrow, silently asking her what she wanted. The girl went red and began to mumble. 

“I’m training to be a Priest.” She said in a tone that almost sounded proud before she went back to her quiet mumbling. “I was wondering… since you’re the Master Summoner and all… would you summon an Aeon for us to see?” Harry blinked before he looked up to see a few other children gathered around him with older monks and priests watching from the shadow of the temple. 

“I’m no Master Summoner.” He said softly and the girl looked as though she was about to cry, but Harry went on. “But I haven’t seen my new Aeon yet.” The children immediately took that as a ‘yes’ and pulled him from his seat on the rock stairs and into the center of the courtyard before scattering to a safe distance. Harry shook his head and heaved a sigh before he closed his eyes and sorted around his mind to find the new Aeon. The connection came alive almost as soon as he called and the air around him crackled with ambient energy once more. 

From the point of view of his audience he suddenly became surrounded by a force field that shone brightly as lightning flashed and lanced around him. A symbol appeared in the air above him and Harry swung around as the Aeon cried out for help getting through. A chain of lighting grabbed hold of it’s horn and Harry pulled on his staff as hard as he could before the barrier between worlds gave way and Ixion burst into life, accompanied by errant shards of reality. They dissolved as they hit the ground but Ixion landed and pranced in front of Harry as the Summoner opened his eyes. There was clapping from nearby as some of those who had been watching from a distance moved closer and stared. The children bounced over and all clamored to touch it. Harry looked at the proud Aeon as it allowed the children to coo over it and nearly laughed. 

It looked as though it was a mix between a unicorn and a thesteral. It had a short and powerful body and bunched muscles that where tensed and ready for anything. Its mane and tail looked as though they’d been shocked by lighting or gelled that way, sticking right up in the air, its tail curving slightly where the hair became too heavy for the static electricity the Aeon generated to keep it up in the air. Large chunks of his mane where plastered down against its neck with gold and blue rings. On its head was a horn, although it was two pronged with the larger point curving over the top and the smaller decorated by a fist sized gem. Its body however was bony and looked like its ribs where showing, but if you got close enough you could see they where only stripes. They where another sign of the Aeon’s supernatural nature. 

Harry finally dragged his eyes away from it and looked it in the eye, only to see one milky white iris and pupil looking back at him like it was blind, but Harry knew better. 

“Alright… I think its time Ixion returned.” The children groaned but backed off as Harry made a gesture and the thunder unicorn, as he’d daubed it, bowed awkwardly before leaping backwards and shattering the barrier of reality once more as it left the corporeal plane. There was clapping form off to one side and Harry felt himself going red with embarrassment as he spotted Auron smirking at him. He spent the rest of the time waiting for the others under the guardian’s watchful eye as he answered the questions of the young Acolytes and Apprentices. 

None to soon it was time to leave and just like in Kilika the majority of the temple population came to wave them off. Even so, Harry was relieved when they passed out of sight around the bend in the road. 

“So what now?” Tidus asked as they fell into a steady walking pace. O'aka was nearly bouncing as he answered. 

“We’re going to cross the Moonflow.” Gatta gave him a flummoxed expression. 

“Didn’t Sir Auron say people where guarding the Shoopuff?” O'aka looked at him before pouting. 

“Bugger.” He muttered childishly and continued walking. Harry laughed at his guardian’s antics from his place between Rikku and Tidus. The Al Bhed was looking thoughtful. 

“Hmmm, maybe… I know!” She chirped, a new bounce coming to her step and she turned side on and did a funny kind of side skip in order to see Harry’s face as she walked. “You know how we where kidnapping Summoners to stop them from using the final summoning. Well, some of my people where going to try and recapture Yuna at the Moonflow. Maybe if some of them are still there they can give us a ride across.” Eyebrows raised and everyone stopped to look at her. 

“What!?” She asked indignantly, making O'aka laugh again. Harry came to her rescue. 

“That’s actually a very good idea Rikku.” He said evenly, looking around as they took up walking again. “I was going to suggest using Illusions to sneak across on the Shoopuff. At least if the Al Bhed can get us across we won’t have to take unnecessary risk.” General noises of agreement went around and Rikku bounced along, before falling back to Harry again. 

“Alright! They’ll be able to help us. They had our underwater ship in the river as a temporary base of operations.” With that settled they picked up the pace to reach the relative safety of the river before nightfall. En route they came across two large Ronso that where taking their time as they swaggered across the path, peering into the trees, eagerly looking for something. Harry’s group slowed in caution as they approached and the Ronso pair looked up at them with arrogant gazes. 

“Look Yenke!” The blue Ronso of the pair said loudly. “A Summoner and guardian’s!” The blonde looked at their party with dark eyes before focusing on the Summoner at the center of their defensive formation. 

‘At least someone knows what doing.’ Yenke thought to himself.

“Summoner.” It wasn’t meant to be taken either positively or negatively, just as a simple acknowledgement that the dark haired Goatling was a Summoner. Among their tribe respect needed to be earned and until then they weren’t worthy of their respect. Harry nodded in return as they made to continue on past, not looking for a confrontation but before they could get far the Ronso, Yenke stopped them. 

“Wait! Ronso give warning!” He said in a loud rumbling voice. “Summoners disappear, Never return.” It was a repeat of the warning he’d given to Summoner Yuna when she’d passed with the hornless little Kimahri. 

“Next will be your Summoner!” Biran threw in his two cents, directing the comment at the nearest Guardian, which happened to be Tidus. A flash of blue appeared in his eyes and for a moment the Ronso could see the power within. Tidus shook his head. 

“No one is going to take Harry if I can help it.” His words where fierce and Yenke, although he’d probably never admit it, was a little impressed. 

“Luck to you.” He said with a nod before they wondered off in the other direction, looking for more fiends to kill as they walked. Rikku just stared in their direction after they’d gone with her jaw hanging open. Auron reached across and closed it for her.

“What was that about?” Harry asked. O'aka just looked at him as though he was mad. 

“The Ronso are real proud creatures.” He said, composure slipping. “They do everything for a reason and they don’t nod to anyone the first time they meet them… well… at least I don’t think so.” Tidus looked a little stunned but Harry just rolled his eyes in exasperation. 

“Everywhere I go…” He muttered, irritation reflected in his eyes even if it wasn’t reflected in his tone. 

They continued on to the Moonflow none the less and stopped by the water’s edge, out of sight of the people at the wharf waiting for the strangely absent elephant like beast to return. Rikku went to the waters edge while Tidus and Harry stared at the river and the mass of pyre flies that floated above it, completely enchanted by their surroundings. The Al Bhed girl reached into her pouch once again and came out with a whistle. Putting it to her lips she blew as hard as she could and the soundless signal went out over the water at a frequency to high for human ears to hear. She stopped when she ran out of breath and put the whistle away before walking back to where every one else was waiting.

“They’ll be here soon.” She assured them. They waited, just watching the pyreflies for what felt like forever before the water rippled just a little ways into the water. Tidus noticed it and got to his feet to stand beside Auron and watch. Slowly a tall metallic fin emerged from the water and a door opened in the side. A few Al Bhed hopped out of the underwater ship and got into a boat that was swiftly paddled over to the river bank. 

_“Knaadehkc vneahtc!”(Greetings Friends!)_ One shouted as they got within range. Rikku bounced around once more and waved energetically. 

_“Rammu Pnudran!” (Hello Brother!)_ Rikku replied as they beached on the river bank and the Al Bhed jumped out and hugged her. _“Femm oui ramb ic lnucc?” (Will you help us cross?)_ she asked, gesturing to the river.

_“Cina.” (Sure)_ The Al Bhed whom they assumed was yet another of Rikku’s brothers nodded making Rikku grin at him and spin on her companions. 

“They’ll help!” She confirmed, even though at least Harry and Tidus had understood the conversation. “Come on! Let’s go!” Everyone laughed at her exuberance and piled into the boat before they pushed off again. As they neared the Fin, Harry looked down into the water and the pyre flies swarmed to light the object that floated passively in the water awaiting them. Harry nearly fell out of the boat as his jaw dropped in complete shock. 

“LEVIATHAN!? YOU HAVE LEVIATHAN!?” Their little boat nearly tipped as nearly everyone jumped in shock at his shout. “Merlin! I didn’t think I’d ever see it again…” He trailed off staring at the giant sub with eyes that nearly glowed with excitement. The Summoner was close to hyper when they reached the ship and entered it. Much to the confusion of everyone there. The moment he was on board he fought the urge to dance and span on the spot, trying to take in everything at once, from the rune engraved strips that made the corridors glow, to the personalized doors that he’d once looked at every day for six months. 

Then he spotted one that he’d never thought he’d see again and ran over to it before hitting the wall off to one side, causing a panel to open and extend a keypad. Harry’s fingers danced over it as he fumbled to type in the code. 

The door slid open with a hiss of pressurized air and revealed the deathly still room beyond. Those who had rushed to follow him stopped dead and gaped as dust floated serenely under the dim emergency lighting. The Al Bhed had never been able to access these rooms. They’d never discovered the mechanism to unlock them, and they would have had difficulty getting past the passwords. Harry was smiling as he stepped inside and breathed in the millennia old, stale air. 

“What is this place?” Harry didn’t move from where he stood as Tidus entered the room behind him with a whisper, hardly wanting to disturb the Summoner all that much. 

“This is my room.” He answered in a low voice, surprising everyone when he opened his eyes, only to have them glow as memories flowed behind them. It seemed today was a day for confronting memories. “I traveled on this Submarine on my first pilgrimage and this is where I stayed in that time… the Magical Underwater Combat Sub, Leviathan.” Suddenly Harry’s reaction to the underwater ship began to make sense to anyone who had guessed Harry’s identity. Tidus and a few Al Bhed suddenly nodded in understanding, and to at least Harry’s surprise, so did Auron. Once again Harry mentally groaned. 

So much for secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of backstory headcannon in this one. XD For those who haven't already read the original chapter's notes on ff I was going to write a whole nother story about the stuff with Harry's first pilgrimage (before he ends up in spira) but I decided against it. I had enough on my plate already. XD


	11. And all that was wrong...

The Al Bhed said that it would take four hours to navigate the ruins of the sunken city in Leviathan so everyone not working on the ship had settled down to wait. Harry had sealed himself in his ‘Room’ shortly after they’d cast off and wasn’t opening up for anyone. Since Tidus was also missing everyone else just assumed he was with Harry… an assumption that was probably correct. 

Auron stood alone in the observation sphere that was built within the hull of the submarine. It was larger that it appeared from the outside, as if the magic had made them smaller when they entered. Auron had heard about ancient spells that could enlarge spaces like this, but they’d only ever been mentioned in passing and never went into detail. The observation deck he was in wasn’t really external to the ship. Instead it was charmed to look like the passengers where surrounded by nothing but glass as the Submarine moved through the water at what seemed to be a sluggish pace. In reality it was moving as fast as a boat could above, but underwater time almost stopped. 

There was a quiet hiss behind him as the pressurized door to the chamber opened and Auron nearly sighed with disappointment. He’d come down here to think in peace, without the chattering of the Al Bhed and the loud conversations of the other guardians. He was slightly curious to know who it was when the newcomer didn’t speak, but refused to turn around to find out. Soft footsteps, nearly inaudible on the carpeted floor moved closer until the teen finally leaned on the railing that held the people back from touching the outer edges of the sphere. Auron’s eyes flickered to the side to see the Summoner resting there. 

Harry noticed and sent him a vague, ‘I’m alright, just a little tired, so don’t worry’ smile and turned back to the spectacular underwater landscape around them. Auron took a moment to study him, after all, he’d been locked away for the last three hours. His clothes where different for starters, they where a full set of dark, ornate robes that gave him a commanding and rather intimidating appearance. The under layer of clothes where solid black and held tight to his body, a simple shirt and pants. Over that was a full black robe made of heavy material with enlarged sleeves that not only just brushed the floor but nearly engulfed his hands, leaving only his finger tip’s visible. This robe was fastened all the way to his neck before it was layered over by a floor length vest. It was the only thing with colour in the outfit. The base colour was black, naturally, but it also had embroidery in silver and blood red thread that depicted a number of creatures. Two of which Auron recognized as Athena and Oddish, Harry’s Aeon’s, after that it was simple to conclude that the others must be the rest of his Aeons and he easily found the griffin and the snake from the vivid descriptions Rikku had given him, but the rest seemed to elude him. 

“Can’t sleep?” The teen spoke up after a long while of looking at nothing. Auron looked away from him and stared out at the river bed as a school of fish swam past them. 

“I don’t sleep.” He said in a gruff tone. Harry nodded absently. He could understand that well enough. Silence reigned around them for a long time and they where lost in their thoughts for almost as long, before Harry decided to brake the silence once more.

“So the next place we visit is Guadosalam…?” It was a hesitant question, concealed under a blank facade. Auron nodded, knowing the Summoner would see it. 

“It is the home of the Guado, Master Summoner, I don’t advise you to enter their city. They take Maester Seymour’s word as law and we are walking on thin ice as it is.” Harry let out a sigh at the use of his old title. 

‘No rest for the wicked.’ He thought to himself, even as he spoke up. 

“I don’t want to go either Auron.” He reassured his Guardian. “But at this point we have little choice but to pass through Guadosalam. The map doesn’t indicate another way to Macalania and none of the Al Bhed can help us in getting through the forests around the city.” Auron’s face was equally blank.

“I still don’t like it.” He said in a low grumble. Harry let out a short laugh and let his body slump from when he’d unintentionally tensed. The silence this time was comfortable one as they patiently looked out over the bottom of the river. Eventually they noticed the signs that they where approaching the other side when the beautiful ruins became sparse and the riverbed began to slope upward. Harry sighed again as the sounds of Al Bhed rushing around rose up behind the door. 

“I’d best get back.” He said slowly, pushing away from the railings and stretching out his limbs. “Tidus was asleep when I left after training and he’s gonna go berserk if I’m not there when he wakes…” He shook his head in exasperation, talking more to himself than Auron as he turned around and walked out the door, into the chaos beyond. The older man couldn’t conceal the smirk that danced across his face as the Summoner left. 

Tidus… now there was another enigma. 

The blonde he’d brought from Zanarkand had begun to prove him wrong over and over again. In the time between giving him over to Jecht and meeting up with him in Luca, the teen had grown up. Changing his outlook radically into the kind of single minded focus to protect Harry it was now… The little boy that Jecht had always told him about was long gone. 

He’d be so proud. 

Auron’s smirk grew wider as he turned and made his way to the door. Life would be no fun if there weren’t any challenges to keep you busy, and the time he was going to have to spend in making sure the Summoner and his guardian didn’t go wondering off together would certainly keep him busy far longer than anything else. The people of Spira where resting their hope in Harry now, even if those who should have known hardly cared, and he’d be damned if he didn’t make sure that their faith was rightly placed. 

But first stop… getting through Guadosalam.

 

\------------------------------------------------------

 

The Al Bhed left them on the bank of the river under the cover of darkness and rowed back out to the Leviathan once more. Harry, still dressed in the large ornate robes he’d retrieved on the sub, watched sadly as the Leviathan sank beneath the still waters and vanished from sight, leaving no real sign that the great Submarine had even been there…

“We need to move.” Auron’s monotone voice broke him out of his dark musings and brought him back to the land of the living where he nodded. 

“Let’s go.” Without words the group set off once more. All falling into step around Harry as they walked through the trees, avoiding the main paths and roads that lead through the forests. Fiends leapt out at them in the beginning but as they progressed the attacks tapered off, the beasts of the forest becoming wary. But that was only a temporary relief, the worst was yet to come. 

When they got within a hundred meters of the entrance they began to split up. Rikku went into the city first with Gatta, under disguise, O'aka and Auron made up the second team, before last came Tidus and Harry. Harry had been heavily layered in spells that made him appear as an old priest of Yevon. Tidus had stolen a warrior monk’s uniform back on the road and was accompanying him under the guise of escorting him to Bevelle. So far their deception was working and none gave their groups a second glance. While they where there, Gatta and O'aka wanted to visit the Farplane. 

“Farplane?” Tidus whispered to Auron as he came closer to them. 

“The place where the dead are sent by the sending.” The older man explained. “In reality it’s a place maintained by the Guado where pyreflies take the shape of the dead conjured up by people.” Tidus made a little ‘Oh’ sound, not sure what to think about it. Auron went to speak with Rikku as she was left alone and after a few minutes Tidus and Harry found themselves drifting in the direction of the farplane. Passing through the portal like structure it took nearly everything they had not to gasp in awe of what lay beyond. 

“Outside of space and outside of time.” Harry muttered offhandedly as they took in the view of the Farplane from their tiny suspended platform sitting in nothing. A great waterfall framed an enormous valley below where the most beautiful flowers they’d ever seen bloomed. The vibrant colours where slightly obscured by the mist cast by the falls but it did nothing to dampen the effect it had on them. Pyreflies, the light alternatives of the Boggarts, danced gracefully through the air, reminding Harry of the fairies from back home. Slowly they made their way up the stairs toward the platform proper and looked around that those who stood there. 

O'aka was standing before the image of an older woman dressed in green robes, with her hair shoved under an oddly shaped hat, but a few wisps escaped, revealing hair in the same shade of red-brown as O'aka’s. Gatta was, predictably enough, looking at a shade of Luzzu, but the thing about the Farplane that stood out was the summoner and her guardian’s standing on the other side. 

“Yuna.” Harry whispered. Tidus looked around and had to resist the urge to growl. The dark haired teen beside him discretely poked him toward one edge of the platform and looked back in time to see Lulu looking at them quizzically. Her eyes widened when Tidus’s helmet slipped slightly and she got a glimpse of his face. She crossed the platform toward them and stood a respectful distance away as she conjured up an image of a red haired man who looked remarkably like Tidus in the face. 

“There’s news.” She said discretely, “I fear for Yuna’s future.” Harry tipped his head to one side as Tidus’s thoughts turned to his mother making the pyreflies go into a frenzy in order to create an image of the woman that he’d fought to gain the attention of while his father was around. 

“What happened?” Harry asked, his spells making him sound like an old man. Lulu let out a huff of air that blew her bangs away from her face momentarily, revealing her other violet eye. 

“Maester Seymour asked Yuna to marry him, and worse, I think she’s even considering it.” Harry counted himself lucky that no one could see his face when his jaw dropped in shock. 

“Merlin…” He croaked. 

“I’ve tried talking her out of it, as much as I could without openly going against it, but she sees this as her duty to Spira. She may be self centered, naïve and serious to a fault but she wants to defeat Sin as much as the next Summoner.” Harry nodded. He could relate to the need to defeat Sin well enough, but the reminder of Seymour still gave him the chills. 

“Seymour is an evil man.” He said a moment later making Lulu give him an incredulous look. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely and that… Guado is being corrupted further that humanly possible, even as we speak.” It was common knowledge that power was the driving force behind the young Guado-human hybrid but to hear the words spoken gave Lulu the chills. With Harry, on the other hand, Seymour brought back memories of Voldemort. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that he realized his mistake in thinking about his old nemesis. The pyreflies went into a frenzy once more and gathered to the point in front of him before taking on a familiar shape. Long spindly limbs with bone white skin connected to a sickly thin torso where covered by plain black robes while glowing red eyes slit like a snakes glared down at him, an evil and deranged smirk decorating the skeletal face of the deceased Lord Voldemort. 

Lulu recoiled from it with disgust and fear, as did anyone else who stood nearby. Harry however, managed to stand his ground and the illusions wrinkled face glared up at the floating evil mirage. 

“Go back to hell.” He growled out at one of the demons of his past. “You died millennia ago and have no place in the world any longer.” A sudden burst of accidental magic forced the pyreflies to disperse and the image of Voldemort exploded, but the whole experience had left Harry shaking. A few more specters popped up in the shapes of his old guardians before he managed to get his mind under control once more and blocked the pyreflies out. He looked up at Tidus and nodded toward the exit. 

“I think… its time to leave.” The guardian disguised as a warrior monk gave a return nod and helped him back out under the stares of everyone present. Once outside the Farplane Harry nearly collapsed from the sudden mental strain. 

“We need to get out of here now. Signal the others and we’ll head out toward the Thunder Plains. I don’t want to stay here.” To tell the truth they’d already lingered here far more than intended and every second they stayed the higher the danger became that they’d be spotted and singled out to the Guado. So finding the errant members of their group they crossed out of the temporary shelter of Guadosalam and out into the endless storms of the thunder plains.

 

\------------------------------------------------------

 

Lightning crashed violently as they walked out onto the plains and it only took Harry a few seconds to realize that something was wrong. He turned around and saw Tidus sneezing violently while Rikku was cringing badly as she crouched on the ground and tried to fuse herself to O'aka’s leg. Feeling a growing headache Harry dispelled his illusions and a wave of his staff replaced the Warrior monk clothing with the blonde guardians normal garb. He addressed Tidus first. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, clearly referring to the sneezing that had subsided for now. Tidus sneezed again and shook his head.

“There’s this smell everywhere.” He said with a sniffle. “I just can’t ignore it.” There was a flash and on instinct the group scattered, narrowly avoiding electrocution via lightning bolt. Harry identified a faint residual smell of ozone as his vision cleared and his guardian went into another violent attack of sneezing. The summoner put his head in his hands. 

“It’s the ozone.” He concluded with a sigh. “Your senses are hyper sensitive and its everywhere, with our luck you’re probably allergic to it.” Tidus gave him a helpless look and shrugged. Harry brought up the staff and performed the bubble head charm. Almost immediately after that the sneezing stopped. Tidus gave him a very grateful look. Harry smiled in return before crouching down beside O'aka’s leg. Rikku sat there shivering and flinched when the lighting above decided to crash down on the nearest lightning tower. 

“I don’t like lightning!” Her frightened squeal softened to a whisper as O'aka attempted to pry her off his leg. Harry had to resist the urge to smile at the sight but took her hands away from her face and pulled her to her feet. 

“Plains of lightning, plains of thunder, those who cross are torn asunder.” Auron muttered the old rhyme to himself and the rising Rikku sent him a dirty look. 

“You’re not helping!” She snapped before squeaking when a bolt of lightning struck near by and latched onto Gatta’s arm.

‘At least she isn’t crawling up people’s legs.’ Harry thought to himself as they quickly made their way toward one of the great lightning towers. The structures stood above the barren wasteland, drawing the great forks of electricity toward themselves so that those who traveled beneath wouldn’t be fried. Harry could appreciate how they worked, having seen something like it in the muggle world. The space beside the first tower already had an occupant when they arrived. A bent old man wearing what looked like a green and yellow pope’s hat and a large poncho peered at them shortsightedly through his round glasses as they approached. 

“Ah! Fellow travelers.” He said absentmindedly. If he recognized them as fugitives of Yevon he gave no indication of it. He just stared out at the endless storms, unflinching as the lightning struck the towers. “I’ve been wondering all around Spira, hoping to uncover it’s secrets and write them all down so others may read it… would you like to hear about the Thunder plains?” It was obvious he wasn’t stupid… or doddering, he was merely ignoring their identity for a chance to tell what he knew. 

“Alright.” Tidus said, getting the gist of Harry’s internal rambling. The old man gave them a smile and began to speak. 

“Very well, let me tell you about the Crossing. A long time ago, this place was a travelers’ nightmare.” Rikku shuddered. 

“I can see why.” She muttered, making Gatta laugh. Maechen smiled wider and went on. 

“Then a man by the name of Bilghen appeared. Using machine, he built towers that served as lightning rods across the plains. Finally, travelers were able to cross in safety. Bilghen was building that tower over there…” He pointed to a half finished tower across the plains that had fallen into disrepair. “When he was struck and killed by lightning. Bilghen was an Al Bhed. Our history books never mention him… a pity really.” He got an absentminded look as he stared off into the distance, his attention no longer on them. The group took that as their cue to leave and began to cross the open space between there and the next tower. There was a brief incident when a fork of lightning lanced down toward them, but they scattered to avoid it. For whatever reason Auron nearly laughed as they dashed for the relative safety of the tower. Tidus gave him an odd look when he noticed the smirk and didn’t even need to ask why.

“Braska crossed the Thunder Plains on his pilgrimage.” He said simply. “Jecht paid no attention to the warnings and was hit. The sphere made of the incident might still be around.” Tidus couldn’t contain the urge to smirk triumphantly at the thought of ‘Mr Perfect Jecht’ getting tossed about by nature’s elements. They made their way to the next tower at a run, narrowly avoiding being hit no less than twice before they reached safety. Once again the area around the tower was occupied, this time by a ginger haired woman in a green acolyte’s uniform of the priests of Yevon. 

“Ah, good day!” She greeted them as they came to a stop nearby. They gave her nods of acknowledgement but didn’t speak. She was wearing a priests outfit after all. 

“Did you hear the news?” She asked excitedly. “I was told by the Guado that Maester Seymour and Lady Summoner Yuna are to be wed! It’s such great news isn’t it! I’ve been telling everyone that’s passed so far. Everyone is just so excited!” She looked around at them all when she noticed their reactions… or lack there of. It took her a moment before her eyes fell on Harry and the staff in his hands.

“Are… are you a Summoner?” She asked almost fearfully. They all turned to look at her then. Harry watched her, equally as wary as he nodded. 

“Yes. I am Summoner Harry.” He offered calmly as he could. Around him the others tensed. Shelinda gasped as the name rang alarm bells in her memory. 

“You… you’re the ones who made all the fiends appear in the stadium in Luca!” Tidus scowled at the false accusation and Harry had to fight not to do the same. 

“I can assure you… we had nothing to do with that debacle.” He said, slightly strained and Tidus moved behind him, sliding one arm discreetly around his shoulders. “If anyone is to blame for that it was the Guado. Sin was nowhere near Luca that day and they have displayed the ability to summon fiends before.” Shelinda looked taken aback. 

“How could yo say that about the Guado! They are good people and they’re loyal to Yevon! Why would they want to do that to the people?” Her protests where punctuated by a loud crack of thunder. Harry took a look up at the sky and then back at his already crackling staff. 

“We don’t have time.” He muttered, the bad feeling about the day growing. “Believe what you want.” He said, directed at Shelinda. “But don’t blame us for things they say we did without all the facts.” He was being harsh now but that couldn’t be helped. At that point, Auron, who had been keeping watch behind, grabbed their attention. 

“I suggest we leave.” He said calmly, gesturing back in the direction of Guadosalam. “Summoner Yuna isn’t far behind us.” That got them all moving. Without a second thought as to what they where doing they plunged toward the next tower, Shelinda yelling out behind them. They got to the last tower before the crossroads when footsteps raced around them. Suddenly there was a familiar blue Ronso blocking their path and a righteous Summoner behind. 

“Stop right there!” Yuna yelled bringing up a staff of her own. Harry’s guardian’s put their backs toward Harry, watching outward as they where stuck between the proverbial rock and the hard place. Even Rikku was putting up a brave face in spite of her fear… not that she didn’t flinch when the lightning struck the tower above. 

“This isn’t right.” Tidus muttered, his eyes flicking to Wakka and Yuna before settling on Lulu. She was standing a little behind the two with a vaguely apologetic look on her face. She hadn’t intended for this to happen either. The blonde noticed Auron give an almost invisible nod to the black mage, laying no blame on her for this. Yuna marched right up to them and looked Harry right in the eye. 

“I challenge you!” She said regally. “To a contest of Aeon’s!” Tidus felt a flicker of disbelief as she spoke those words and it wasn’t from him alone. Harry wore an unreadable look. 

“Even if I loose…” he said slowly, setting his terms. “Let my guardian’s go.” Yuna looked for a moment like she was going to object but then stopped.

“Fine then! The guardian’s go on ahead! We will stay here and fight.” Tidus was about to protest when Harry nodded and sent them all a look that clearly said, ‘Just go.’ 

_‘Trust me.’_ He thought and understanding struck the blonde like a blitzball to the head. He grabbed the red faced O'aka and the torn Rikku by the back’s of their shirts and hauled them toward the nearby travel agency with surprising strength. Auron and Gatta following as Lulu did the same with Wakka and Kimahri. They took one last look at the Summoners standing out on the plains before they head inside. 

_‘I hope you know what you’re doing.’_ Tidus thought as he sat on one side of the Inn with Rikku. 

_‘I do.’_ Was the distant reply. 

 

\------------------------------------------------------

 

Yuna was the first to brake the stand off between them, raising her staff and calling her first Aeon. She twirled it around in front of her like a baton and flames dripped from her hands like water to fall to the ground and burn away the rock in a perfect circle around her. A red spell circle formed under her feet and she crouched as the ground surged up in a tower beneath her. From the center of the pillar exploded a squat looking beast with a mane of flames and a pair of wicked horns curving out the back of its head. Powerful muscles bunched as its tattooed arms reached out to grab Yuna from the air before landing with a heavy thud and letting her jump lightly to the ground. Without prompting, Ifrit, the infernal demon of fire, leapt forward and lashed out at him with it’s long claws. Harry dodged it by a hairs breath and hurriedly settled on his own. Reaching within for his connection to Ixion and bringing it forth. 

The sky above reacted and lightning pillars circled around him before the same circle he’d seen last time formed in the air. With his movements more confident Harry wielded his staff and Ixion exploded into reality once more, just like he had outside the Djose Temple. 

“IXION! SHOW THEM WE’RE NOT TO BE MESSED WITH!” He yelled over the thunder and the proud creature leapt into action. It put its head down and charged at Ifrit who span to get out of the way but Ixion circled back and reared, flailing diamond hard hooves at the fiery Aeon. They found their mark and the beast reared back only to retaliate, gathering fire around its hand before hurling it at the thunder Aeon. It screamed like only a horse could as the attack made contact with its hindquarters and charred its tail, but here, on the Thunder Plains, this Aeon had the advantage. The fight had strayed beyond the safety of the lightning towers where Harry and Yuna still stood, therefore they where vulnerable to the unpredictable weather patterns of the plains. A bolt of lightning lanced down and hit Ixion squarely but instead of damaging the Aeon it had the opposite effect. Ixion glowed, newly energized, and launched itself back into the fray. Rearing, it tossed its head and the pressurized air swirled out like a blade, ripping into Ifrit like a hot knife through butter. Ifrit roared in fury before bounding into the air. Harry’s eyes widened when he realized what was happening, but he wasn’t fast enough to pull Ixion out. 

Large balls of flame appeared around Ifrit’s fists as it hung, suspended in midair. Claws gripped them before hurling them at Ixion, snaring the other Aeon in a web of fire. Ifrit crashed back to earth before opening wide it’s jaws and spewing out another fireball that sent its panicking opponent into the air in the midst of a raging firestorm. Then it clawed into the already charred earth and pried up a bolder almost twice its size. Heaving it above its head Ifrit sent it flying right into the growing fireball. 

The air exploded. 

 

\------------------------------------------------------

 

In the travel agency Tidus had been getting more and more agitated as the fleeting sounds of battle reached his ears. He’d taken to pacing as the explosions came to a lull but when a blast outside rocked the agency he snapped. 

“Screw this!” He swore violently as he grabbed his sword and dashed outside, much to the surprise of the others. The rock outside was hot, nearly melted with the residue heat but Tidus paid it no real heed as he darted across the open areas toward the tower where he’d last seen his Summoner. He skidded to a stop by the entrance to the low lying groove where the agency stood and took in the sight of the battle grounds. A new charred crater had been formed just off the path. To one side of it was Yuna, standing protected under a flaming Aeon while Harry knelt on the other, shielded by a glowing spell that filled the air around him. Tidus moved forward and looked down into the crater to see what Harry was looking at. 

There at the bottom was Harry’s badly burnt Aeon. It twitched in pain and gave a pathetic whiny before it burst into a cloud of pyreflies that quickly vanished. Although he knew that they would always come back the next time they where summoned, Harry felt as though a part of himself had been torn to pieces.

“Oh now I’m mad.” He muttered, green eyes blazing. Ifrit moved before Yuna as Harry brought up his staff. It crackled with blue lightning and formed a solid beam of light that lanced up into the clouds above, connecting the earth and sky. The energy beam turned yellow and a large and ornate spell circle blossomed into life under his feet. The wind on the plains picked up and a darkness settled around them, shrouding everything in a veil that not even the lightning could pierce. Then, a mist began to seep out of the ground around Harry before taking the form of someone shadowed in the large folds of a cloak. It’s cowl hung low over its face and the only visible limb was a hand that extended from the black robes beneath holding a burning branch that cast the dark world into even deeper shadows. 

“Demeter…” Harry whispered and the Aeon gave and eerie nod. Already anticipating the Summoner’s request. It turned toward Ifrit and reached out with its other bony, wrinkled hand, making a beckoning gesture. A chill ran through the bones of Tidus and Yuna as Ifrit gave a desperate roar and just like that the life was ripped from its body, just as if Demeter had cast the death spell. The grey mist raced through the air and formed into a sphere in her grasp before the Aeon turned to Harry once more. Harry dismissed it and it bowed before it dissipated into the darkness. When the shroud lifted the dancing shadows of the lightning felt unreal and fake. It didn’t bother them anymore… only the cold left behind by the Aeon’s presence. 

Tidus was still in mild shock when Harry grabbed his hand and started leading him away from the battle sight. His expression was stormy and hurt as he concentrated souly on getting away from there. The blonde threw a look over his shoulder and caught sight of Yuna sitting on the ground and staring at where her Aeon had been, to caught up in her own nightmares to notice that Harry was leaving. He’d won that round. 

As they passed the agency the other guardian’s who had been gathered by the door flooded out. Harry’s ran after them to catch up while Yuna’s went in the other direction. The dark haired Summoner had nearly dragged them half way to Macalania before he finally came to a stop in a covered rest area and collapsed. A deep look of pain was etched across his face as Rikku and Tidus instantly crouched down beside him. 

“What was that?” O'aka asked a moment later. “Everything went dark suddenly and then it went really cold, like all the life had been sucked out of the air.” For a while the only noise came from the endless storms raging around them then Harry spoke. 

“That was an Aeon… my Aeon… Demeter.” Everyone looked at him, even Auron who, until that moment had been keeping watch behind. “Demeter has two forms.” He explained. “When she is summoned with good intentions she carries a child and stands in the light, when the Summoner is angry or hurt she appears in darkness and rips the souls from her opponent.” Tidus wasn’t the only one who shivered at the thought. 

“Where I come from, there are these creatures known as Dementors. Legend says the real goddess Demeter made them in her rage toward Hades when he stole her daughter and took her to the underworld.” His guardian’s only had a vague idea of what he was talking about but listened intently anyway. “They live, sucking the happiness out the air and leaving you with only your nightmares and the side of yourself that mocks you from the darkness.” It was obvious he was speaking from experience as he curled in on himself. Rikku gave him a sisterly hug before drawing away. 

“We’d best continue on to Macalania now.” Auron once again was the voice of reason. Harry nodded blankly in agreement and nearly fused himself to Tidus as they made their way out into the storms and off toward the distant forests.


	12. Necessary distractions

When they reached the forests of Macalania, the sights around them quickly enchanted Tidus. The great silver trees that had made the wood in O'aka’s staff towered above them and the air glowed with stray pyreflies that flitted through the branches. Off in the distance the travelers could hear music, played by some unseen musician deep within the woods. In a way it seemed kind of sad to Harry’s ears as they ventured toward the nearest rest area. The trip across the Thunder Plains had taken its toll on their group and all they wanted to do was fall over and not move again for a very long time. However… for once, fate offered them a welcomed distraction. 

“Why hello there!” Rikku who had let her legs collapse under her, whipped her head around to see a familiar pudgy Crusader coming along the path with a large yellow bird in tow. 

“Clasko!” She chirped, forgetting her tiredness and pushing herself back to her feet. Just after she said this Lucil and Elma strode up to them. 

“We’re glad to see you well.” Captain Lucil offered. “But you do look worse for wear.” 

“We had an encounter with the Lady Summoner Yuna.” Auron said from the back of the group. “I doubt she looks well either.” Lucil looked a little taken aback but shook it off easily. 

“Well, we were stationed in these woods to guard the roads to Bevelle.” Elma explained from where she stood on the Captain’s left. “There’s been a lot of unease in the area lately, what with the Guado telling everyone about the impending wedding.” O'aka smiled, still kind of wired about that… Auron just snorted. Harry looked back at the older man as he explained. 

“My guess is that Yuna is marrying him in hopes of negotiating with Seymour.” He said sitting down on a fallen tree limb that looked as though it had been placed there and setting his huge blade to one side. 

“Negotiate what then?” Gatta asked what everyone was thinking. Auron just shrugged, leaving the question hanging for anyone to draw their own conclusions. Harry took a seat nearby and began to concentrate before a pile of brown squares appeared in a bowl on his lap. Tidus caught a whiff of them and his grin nearly split his face in half. 

“Alright! Chocolate!” He cheered as Harry popped one in his mouth and held the conjured candy out to him. Everyone but Auron was looking at them like they where mad as Tidus sat down and started scarfing the food. 

“What is that?” Rikku asked, staring at the confectionery with apprehension… well not at the food exactly, just at the way Tidus was stuffing it in his face. The blonde stopped riffling for another piece when he heard the question and looked up, cheeks puffed up like a gerbil at feeding time, causing Harry to burst out laughing. 

“How could you not know what this is!?” He asked in childish outrage. Auron snickered. 

“Before Sin it was produced in Zanarkand.” The monk explained to the blonde’s growing horror. “When Sin attacked the means to make it was lost and there hasn’t been mention of it for nearly a thousand years.” Tidus looked at Harry who was internally warring with himself over whether or not to frown at the idea of no real chocolate or burst out laughing at the look on his guardian’s face. The latter won out and the Summoner fell off the back of the log so that his kicking feet where the only thing visible as he nearly laughed himself sick. Tidus went to help him but everything deteriorated when Auron made a grab for the Chocolate and Tidus went on the defensive. Add the fact that the Chocobo liked what it smelled and they weren’t going anywhere for a while. The tension that had been building among their separate groups vanished and for a while they could forget everything that seemed wrong with the world. But eventually they realized they needed to get on with what they’d been doing before and now they where ready to part ways once more. Clasko moved off to one side, dragging the now sleepy Chocobo with him so it wouldn’t get in the way of any travelers. 

“I hope we’ll see each other again.” The young man with a chocolate smear on his chin said sincerely. “And maybe you can teach me how to make that stuff!” Some of the guardians laughed at the eager look on his face. 

“I’m sure we will.” Gatta said laughing as everyone got to their feet. The chocobo knights saluted them and Harry bowed in return before they walked deeper into the woods. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

After an hour of walking the forest paths the party was quickly becoming fed up with their surroundings. Chimera and elemental fiends infested the woods and not far back Harry had summoned Godric. The great Aeon now walked the path behind them bearing Harry, Rikku and Gatta in between fights. He couldn’t fly in the close quarters provided by the towering trees around them but he made quick work of any fiend that stumbled into their path. The griffin had a rather nasty habit of spitting fireballs that made quick work of white elementals and where he couldn’t kill anything, Tidus and O'aka took up the slack. 

Their resident black mage was improving greatly. Second level elemental spells had been added to his arsenal during the leg of the journey spent on Leviathan. O'aka had no trouble with the first level spells and fortunately, for Gatta’s sake, he’d mastered the forms of levitation that where part of the base for learning gravity magic. 

The edge of the woods was in sight half an hour later when Auron called their party to a stop. 

“Wait.” He said as he surveyed the area around them. “It is here… somewhere.” 

“What’s here?” Tidus asked, pretty much speaking for everyone else as Harry dismissed Godric in the background and joined them. 

“Something you should see.” The stoic man intoned as he hefted his blade and brought it down on the trunk of a large tree that had fallen on what had once been a fork in the path. Harry, Tidus, O'aka, Rikku and Gatta all instinctively raised an arm to protect their faces as a large chunk of the tree was blasted away in a shower of wood and crystal. It took only one more blow for a considerable gap to be opened, large enough for them to walk through in single file. Auron walked through and everyone followed without a second thought. Soon the narrow path opened out into a clearing and the forest dropped away in favor of the glittering pools that lay beyond. Picking their way gingerly across the natural stepping stones made by the large floating tree roots Harry was struck with a thought. 

‘This must be the Forest’s source of magic.’ He speculated as he felt around the tangible aura of peace radiated by the water below. ‘The trees have all grown under the influence of the magic in the water and now they are magical too…’ Somewhere along their connection Tidus acknowledged Harry’s thoughts as they approached a huge, glowing tree that grew in the very center of the largest pool. It had fewer leaves but the crystal growths where the biggest so far, all glittering in time to the distant music. 

“This place…” Tidus breathed out, hyper aware of just how much magic lay around them. “It’s not just water is it.” It was more a statement than a question but Auron explained regardless. 

“This is what spheres are made of.” Auron started in his normal monotone but for whatever reason that was fading in favor of some unknown emotion. “It absorbs and preserves people’s memories. Fiends are also attracted to these places…” He trailed off and drew back, muscles tense as he waited for the presence he felt to show itself. The others followed his cue, going on high alert and not a moment to soon. As if summoned by his earlier words a large amorphous fiend began to emerge from the enchanted water. It hovered in the air between the tree and their group where they got a good look at it. It appeared to have no real bodily structure holding it together as it floated in mid air, the watery goo that made up the majority of it’s mass flashed with barely visible colour as the air made it ripple. At it’s core was the only solid component of its physiology. 

‘A nucleus.’ Harry thought a moment before O'aka noticed something and announced his suspicions loudly. 

“Uh oh! I think that there thing is gonna do something!” He said, taking a step back on to a different perch. The action had probably saved his life as it suddenly hardened into a block and with surprising speed crashed down on the place where the ex-merchant had once stood. Surprised but not stunned the black mage lashed out without a thought, sending a second level lightning spell at it with seemingly no effect until a brighter flash of color swept over it. To anyone sensitive enough to feel the magic it was obvious that its entire structure had changed. 

“Oh boy.” Rikku mumbled as she and Gatta dived out of the way of another lightning strike, this time from the floating blob. Auron took a stab at it once but his attack inflicted next to no damage as the sword passed right through the outer layers without even getting near the core. He fell back beyond O'aka quickly after that.

“All yours.” He nodded to the man and O'aka gave him a look that clearly screamed. ‘Why me and what the hell can I do about it?’ Harry and Tidus took pity on him and the Summoner started shouting directions as he powered up a small spell out his own. 

“Hey! O'aka! It used a lightning spell so use a water spell against it!” The black mage snapped to attention and brought up his staff, casting the second level water spell. Much to the surprise of some the tactic actually worked. Harry flung his own spell before it flashed again and the base components changed. Taking his turn at the thing Tidus dashed up beside it and took a swipe as he ran along the easiest path atop the roots. Circling around he narrowly avoided a flame spell cast in his direction. 

“O'aka! Blizzard!” Harry called out and the said Guardian did as he was told finally catching on to what was happening. The blob changed again and Gatta attacked it this time, yelping as he was hit on his right side with an ice spell. O'aka didn’t need a prompt as he powered up his fire spell as far as it would go, playing on the elemental weakness he finally cast and the blob exploded into flames. The outer layers evaporated and the core shriveled, bursting into pyre flies. The silence from before fell over the pools as Auron knelt down where the Fiend had emerged from and reached into the water. There was a faint sloshing noise as he pulled back and got to his feet before turning and handing Tidus the object he’d retrieved from within the pool. 

It was an old sphere. 

The sphere glowed a faint silver in the dim light of the forest and the metal apparatus it had been mounted in had been worn away slightly by time. Harry recognized the thought strand; having compared it to those he’d seen in Dumbledore’s pensieve back at Hogwarts. Judging by the size, there was more than one memory in there. 

“Woah! This is kinda old.” Rikku said as she examined it. “The switch is rusted so it might not be able to play.” She grabbed it quickly and before anyone could protest pulled a small tin with a funnel out of the bag attached to her thigh. Two seconds later she’d oiled the hinges and handed it back to him. “There! It should work better now.” Tidus took it and held it there for a moment, hesitating. Auron noticed this right away.

“Jecth left it here ten years ago.” He said softly and everyone looked at him. “Play it back.” Some how Tidus didn’t really want to but the looks Rikku, Gatta and O'aka were giving him said to get on with it. With a sigh he set it on the sturdiest root and sat down nearby, dangling his legs in the surprisingly warm water while everyone else stood to watch. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

_< Sphere Recording On  >_

_“What are you taking?” A voice asked from the white void before the memory cleared into a scene. Two people stood on a grand walkway at nighttime, the walk way lit up all around them, casting artificial light over those who where walking away from a great city. The speaker had been a young man wearing red with black Armour and a large sword over one shoulder as he walked. It was a younger version of Auron. Beside him stood a man in purple and blue robes with a large red lined girdle around his midriff that had his staff tied to a ring hanging from it. Tidus recognized him from the temple in Besaid, Lord High Summoner Braska, Yuna’s father. Then the person filming the sphere spoke._

_“Well, you said it was gonna be a long trip. We’ll be seeing a lot of neat things, right? So I though I’d record it all in this. To show my wife and kid, you know.”_

_Tidus couldn’t imagine it being anyone but Jecht._

_“This is no pleasure cruise!” Auron snapped irritably and they came to a halt on the walkway. Jecht was obviously ignoring the indignant man as he switched his focus to Braska._

_“Hey, Braska. Ain't this supposed to be a grand occasion? Where’re the cheering fans? The crying women?” Braska looked back at where Jecht was filming from._

_“This is is. Too many goodbyes – people think twice about leaving.” Auron passed both of them and walked on ahead in a huff._

_“Hmm…” Jecht mused. “If you say so. Well, it better be a lot more colorful when we come back. A parade for Braska! Vanquisher of Sin!” He was being a fool, causing Braska a soft laugh and smile sadly at the jest._

_“We should go. Day will break soon.”_

_\----_

_A new recording started and this time they appeared to be in a land of ice and snow standing by one of Rin’s travel agencies. Braska wasn’t in this shot and they guessed he was filming as the sphere was pointed at a smirking Jecht and a disgruntled Auron. Jecht had spiky brown hair and brown eyes that looked out from a dark skinned and weathered face. He didn’t wear a shirt but he did have an armguard similar to the one Tidus wore. He had a pair of denim shorts belted on his hips and down one side was a flap of material that went nearly all the way to his sandaled feet. He didn’t even seem to feel the cold at all._

_“Auron, could you stand closer to him?” Braska asked from out of the shot and Auron sighed before taking a step closer to Jecht and then turning his back on Braska and the sphere. It lifted slightly to take in the sign that stood above them._

_“Good, that should do it.” Braska said and Jecht turned to Auron, leering._

_“What’s the matter? Afraid I might bite?” He asked cockily._

_“Jecht…” Auron nearly growled in exasperation. Reluctantly he turned and faced in the direction of the sphere._

_“Braska!” Jecht called out turning back as well when he lost interest in teasing Auron. “You should take one, too. It’d make a great gift for little Yuna!” There was hesitation in Braska’s voice when he replied._

_“I suppose.”_

_“Lord Braska.” Auron cut in abruptly. “We shouldn’t be wasting out time like this.”_

_“What’s the hurry man?” Jecht asked in his normal laid back way that was grating on the younger Auron’s nerves. He grunted in frustration and began to walk away._

_“Let me tell you what the hurry is!” He said coldly. The sphere was knocked askew as Braska shouted out to Auron and turned off the sphere._

_< Sphere Recording Off  >_

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

Everyone looked at the scowling Tidus as he snapped off the Sphere. 

“Why are we even watching this?” Tidus asked himself more than anyone else. “Dad was a Jerk, end of story.” No one could bring themselves to say anything. Finally Harry put a hand on his shoulder and spoke. 

“There’s one more part left.” He said in a quiet voice and Tidus looked up to meet green eyes before he gave his own semi growl of frustration, not unlike the ones Auron had made in the Sphere recording and leaned over to turn it back on. Revealing the final part. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

_< Sphere Recording On  > _

_The view flickered and Jecht reappeared sitting cross legged and alone in the same place they stood now._

_“Hey.” Jecht said almost gently as he smiled. “If you’re watching this… it means you’re stuck in Spira, like me. You might not know when you’ll get back home, but you better not be crying! Although, I guess I’d understand. But you know what? There’s a time when you have to stop crying and move on. You’ll be fine. Remember, you’re my son. And… well, uh… Never mind, I’m no good at these things.” He chickened out and got to his feet, walking out of view of the sphere as he went to pick it up. It faded to back and Tidus reached out to turn it off but it flickered back into life to show an empty picture of the glowing tree. A whisper came from close to the sphere but it was loud enough for those watching to hear. “Anyways… I believe in you. Be good… Goodbye.”_

_< Sphere Recording Ended  >_

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

The sphere switched off on its own while everyone looked at Tidus again. The blonde wore a stony expression that gave away next to nothing about what he was really thinking. 

_‘He sounded almost serious… pity he had to say it to late.’_ Harry gave Tidus a sad look before he turned to everyone else. 

“We should get moving.” He said, breaking the glum mood. “The Guado said Seymour had already left for Macalania Temple and there’s a chance we might not be able to get to the Fayth there. Plus we need supplies if I remember correctly, we're running low.” Everyone scattered and moved back the way they’d come Rikku and Gatta chattering along as they walked. Tidus lingered behind them and looked back at the tree once more. 

‘I guess I understand. My old man… He knew there was no way back home, back to Zanakand. He wanted to go home, but he knew he couldn’t. He couldn’t go on until he accepted it. Besides, even if he had found a way back, I don’t think he would have left his friend behind before their journey was completed…’ He picked up the sphere and shoved it into his bag before he walked up behind Auron. ‘Me? I’ve never even really thought about it till now, there was just Harry.’ The other’s had moved back toward the path but Auron slowed and stopped looking back at the blonde. 

“Jecht loved you.” He said simply in a tone that said he was going to drill that fact into his head no matter what. Tidus stared back before he rolled his eyes to the heavens and pushed past him. 

“Oh, Come on, please!” He said in exasperation. 

“He just didn’t know how to express it.” Tidus didn’t stop walking, everything he’d said and done today was sinking in with those words. Harry getting upset and summoning that Aeon, Seeing his father in a sphere after ten years of happily not knowing him and now Auron telling him that the annoying jerk really did love him was just one of those below the belt hits you really couldn’t ignore. 

“Shut up about my Old Man already.” He said darkly as Auron finally followed. He wasn’t going to cry and if he ever did he wasn’t going to do it where someone could see him… No… the dragon would make sure he couldn’t even if he tried…

So why’d he want to cry so badly?

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

Walking out of the shelter of Macalania Woods the cold hit some of them like a slap in the face. Frosty winds swept across the frozen lake and chilled them to their bones as they hurried for the now familiar sight of the Al Bhed travel agency, the same one that had been in the Sphere made by Jecht. They toppled unceremoniously through the door and shut it against the wind behind them, quite relieved when they felt the warmth again. Rikku and Gatta made a beeline for the large wood fired stove in the corner of the room and huddled down before it. Out of the group they had been worst off by the sudden shock. Both where more suited to warm climates and had never really had reason to venture into the icy snowfields that made up the lower foothills of the mountains. 

Harry, Auron and O'aka had all been fine with the change in weather. The Summoner’s thick black robes protected him from the brunt of it while the monk and the ex-merchant had already been prepared, knowing what to expect. Tidus had been fine with the whether as well but that didn’t mean he liked it, still, they where all glad to be inside. Smoothing his robes absentmindedly Harry took a quick look around the common area and went to speak to the Al Bhed behind the desk about rooms for the night. Tidus had just found a seat on a fur rug off to one side when another familiar figure entered the agency. Rin took no more than a few seconds to zero in on him and quite casually made his way over, sitting down cross-legged nearby. 

“Ah! It is good to see that you have made it this far _vneaht.” (Friend)_ Tidus easily picked up the use of Al Bhed and felt some pride over the fact he could understand the language with very little thought required. 

_“Hud dryd udran'c teth'd dno du cdub ic.” (Not that other’s didn’t try to stop us.)_ The Zanarkand native replied using the language, just for the hell of it. Rin had a small frown on his face for a split second before he burst out laughing. 

_“Yc tv cusauha luimt rumt pylg dra Sycden Summoner yht rec Guardians!” (As is someone could hold back the Master Summoner and his Guardians!)_ The blonde’s head snapped around faster than if someone had slapped him. 

“What did you just say?” He asked in a more normal language, just barely keeping his voice at a growled whisper. Rin gave him a partially bewildered look. 

“You did not know?” He asked, his voice equally as low. “We Al Bhed knew something was different about Summoner Harry.” He explained. “We have hidden records from before the time of Zanarkand where my people branched off from normal human evolution. They tell of the Summoner who defeated a great evil not unlike that of Sin and vanished shortly after. Summoner Harry has the same name, Aeons and even the same scar as the original Master Summoner. He can be nothing less than that man and we have the Sphere to prove it.” Tidus stared at him thunderstruck barely registering the world around him as his mind worked on overdrive. 

“Who else knows?” He asked quickly. 

“All of the Al Bhed people.” Rin answered honestly and Tidus nearly had a heart attack. 

“Except Rikku.” The blonde pointed out absently as he went into a variation of mother hen mode. “People weren’t supposed to find out.” He muttered in annoyance and cursed. Rin seemed to sense that it wasn’t a good time to be talking to the other blonde and silently got to his feet, edging away carefully just in case he felt like shooting the messenger. It was that panicked broadcast of worried rambling that got Harry’s attention. Green eyes caught sight of the deep frown on his face and the Summoner didn’t hesitate in walking over. He crouched down in front of the Animagus in training and reached out to grab his hands. 

“Tell me.” He ordered and Tidus looked up.

“Not here.” He nearly pleaded and Harry nodded. Their sleeping arrangements had all been worked out. Gatta was sharing with O'aka and Auron, Rikku had a room of her own, for obvious reasons, and there had never been any debate over how Harry and Tidus where staying together. Once they where sealed away in their room behind a couple of wards the blonde told him everything that Rin had mentioned. When he was done Harry had to resist the urge to bang his head against the walls. Instead he sprawled out on the bed with a groan and flung an arm over his eyes in order to block out the light in the room. He was tired, they both where. It had been a long day, filled with more than enough emotional and physical shocks that might have destroyed lesser men. As Tidus sat down beside him Harry curled into a ball and mumbled to himself. 

“Sometimes it just sucks being me.”


	13. Heart of Ice

They had a late start the next morning. 

O'aka had, yet again, slept like the proverbial rock and Rikku and Gatta had a field day trying to wake him. They’d tried everything in the book and then some before they finally just had Auron pitch him out the window and into the freezing snow bank beyond. By the time they where all ready to go Harry had been wondering just how far Yuna was behind them. They hurried out across the barren lake of ice that lay before the travel agency and slid into the ravine. They found themselves hiding behind frozen stalagmites a moment later when the long armed form of a Guado lumbered into view. This one was much older than either Seymour or his two guards from their last encounter with the slimy bastard. 

“That’s Tromell.” O'aka whispered once the green haired Guado had passed in the direction of the travel agency. “He’s the personal servant of Maester Seymour and before that he served Maester Jyscal, but what’s he doing all the way out here?” Auron gave a low growl.

“Yuna.” That gave them a jolt back to reality. 

“We need to go! Quickly!” They ran for it. It was bad enough that Seymour bared their way but after the thunder plain’s showdown they didn’t want to risk an encounter with Yuna as well. Half sliding further down the ravine they found the entrance and passed through only for half of them to stop short at the sight that lay before them. 

They where under the lake. 

The temple stood within a gigantic cavern that looked as though it was made entirely of ice. In the center was a large pillar with the temple itself sitting atop, looking as though it was wrought out of blue ice, silver and gold. The cavern itself had been formed when the top had frozen over and the water had somehow receded to a level much lower than before, leaving the space within clear for any who might think to use it much like the bubble around the sunken temple of the oracle Cassandra at the bottom of the Mediterranean sea. A rather thin, icy walkway stretched out across the gap between the entry and the temple. 

Hurry…

Harry grabbed Tidus and pulled him out on to the bridge, the other guardians following close behind as they crept up to the entrance to the temple. Surprisingly it was unguarded and only a few elderly people waited within, all looking away from the doors. After making sure they weren’t seen they rushed up into the empty cloister and right into the antechamber. The door at the other end slid open as Harry entered and he went to it right away as the Guardian’s, tense at having to pass into enemy territory, took up a tight formation around the door. Fifteen minutes Harry emerged again. The other’s where confused as to how short a time it had taken. Most Summoners spent ages convincing the Fayth to help them. Tidus understood a little more though. He’d been listening in on Harry’s conversation with the Fayth via the Summoner’s mind. Harry had entered in a moment of real need and the Fayth had responded accordingly. 

Moving as fast as they dared they excited the antechamber only to freeze when a voice sounded clearly down the icy hall. 

“If you’ll step this way Lady Yuna, I shall escort you to the Chamber of the Fayth my self.” Tidus backed up and it was Rikku that pulled them into a hall off the side that lead to a dark and cold room below. Seymour and Yuna passed but the hidden group couldn’t move. About an hour after there was a scream from the direction of the temple proper and about a minute after that Yuna’s guardians came barreling down the icy hall toward the antechamber. Tidus and Harry looked at each other in confusion. What the hell was going on? They poked their head around the door and watched the proceedings. Realizing with a jolt that the Fayth wasn’t singing anymore. 

Seymour stood by the entry to the Chamber of the Fayth, blocking all way’s through. Two of his guards stood to attention at the bottom of the short flight of stairs. 

“Seymour!” Wakka challenged, his voice giving away how nervous he was as he spoke. 

“Please be silent, Lady Yuna pray’s to the fayth.” The Guado Maester intoned in a semi irritated voice. 

“Oh Yeah? Make me!” Wakka said, with more confidence than the last time he’d opened his mouth. Seymour turned slowly and sent them a lofty glare. Surprisingly enough the three Guardians didn’t back down, Wakka shocking them especially given his blind faith in Yevon. 

“Yuna!” Lulu’s shout brought their attention to the opening door behind Seymour and Yuna emerged. She seemed surprised to see them there. 

“But why?” She asked in her confusion. 

“We saw Jyscal’s Sphere.” Lulu answered and Kimahri gave a low ominous growl. 

“Yeah!” Wakka agreed, glaring back at the Maester. “You killed him!” Seymour raised his chin a little higher.

“What of it?” After a stunned silence, he turned to Yuna.

“Lady Yuna, Certainly you knew of these things, did you not?” Yuna nodded hesitantly

“Well, then, why have you come here?” Yuna shut her eyes and squeezed them tight, almost as if she was trying to block something from her mind. Then at last she spoke. 

“I came…” Her voice was almost to soft for the audience to hear as she trailed off uncertainly, but when she opened her eyes again there was a certain measure of resolve hidden there. “I came to stop you!” She declared loudly bringing her staff up before her. 

“I see.” Seymour said, not even blinking at the threat to his own life. “You came to punish me then?” He paused to look at Yuna’s face and shook his head at the defiance he saw there.

“What a pity.” A mocking smirk formed on the blue haired Maester’s face as he watched Kimahri, Wakka and Lulu go into a defensive line before Yuna. 

“Ah, of course. ‘Protect your Summoner even at the cost of one’s life.’ The Code of the Guardian. How admirable. Well, if you’re offering your lives, I will have to take them. I could not refuse such a great gift.” 

“Maester Seymour,” Yuna was practically glaring at the Guado now. “I trust my guardian’s with my life. They are my friends as well as my protectors. I will not stand by and let them be hurt. I will fight too!” Seymour just smirked as his guards ran forward, casting spells on themselves. Kimahri tried rushing Seymour but was repelled when one of the guards took the hit for him. Back in the hall Harry felt the indignant anger of his Guardians at the dialogue that had occurred in the room that was now bathed in the light of Lulu and Seymour’s spells. Auron was frowning deeply and the Summoner had a twinge of something he hadn’t felt in a while. 

“Let’s help.” His guardian’s stared at him incredulously. 

“Why?” Rikku asked. “They wouldn’t help us!” Auron was giving him an intense look. 

“Is that what you really want?” Harry couldn’t help the wry smile that spread across his lips. 

“I have a saving people thing,” He said turning and taking a step out into the hall. “My last guardian’s hated it!” Tidus was quick to follow him with Auron, not two steps behind. The remaining three all looked at each other and shrugged before they ran to catch up, Rikku in the lead. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

They where struggling. 

They’d been fighting for a few minutes already but the amount of Protect and Shell spells made it difficult to land a blow that might actually count. It didn’t help that Seymour was laying down cover fire that prevented them from getting close. Yuna couldn’t Summon either since she was hard pressed keeping Wakka from keeling over when he wasn’t fast enough to avoid a strike as he retrieved his blitz ball. He’d just been hit again when there was a shout behind them. 

“HEY! Don’t tell me we have to bail you out again?” The fight stopped instantly and everyone turned to look at the entrance as Tidus walked down the stairs on to their level, his red tinted blade resting on his shoulder in a similar fashion to the way Auron carried his. He lifted it and pointed it down in a ready position as a familiar Summoner entered the room behind him, bringing a snarl from Seymour. His other Guardians joined them. Auron, O'aka, Rikku and…

“GATTA!?” Wakka burst out in shock. The Crusader turned Guardian blushed under the shocked stares of Wakka and Yuna but determinedly brought up the gun he’d been given back on Leviathan. It was a slightly modified version of Ginny’s combat rifle. Back when she’d acquired it, it had been standard muggle military issue, but she, and now the Al Bhed, had added to it over the centuries, making it one of the first magical sub machine guns in existence. 

“You can yell at him later.” Auron said roughly. “First we’ll take care you.” The later part was directed at Seymour who just laughed and gave him a look that said, ‘just you try’. They took the dare and Tidus nearly blurred forward.

“PAYBACK TIME!” He shouted gleefully as he charged at one of the Guado, he still hadn’t forgotten the incident back during Operation Mi’Ihen. He made a leap and the Guado didn’t move, confident in the magical shielding. Just before the blade could rebound off the shield a spell came out of nowhere and struck first. The shield dissolved before the Guado realized what had happened and the blonde’s sword came down on his right shoulder, cleaving through his collarbone before Tidus landed and pulled back, a gout of blood flowing out when he yanked out the blade. The guard’s face was screwed up in disbelief and pain as he went to his knees and fell flat on his face. Before he could pass out from blood loss he cast a protection spell on Seymour, after which Rikku promptly skipped forward and looted his body, humming as she worked. The others had ganged up on the other Guard, Lulu joining Gatta, Auron and O'aka to beat him down almost as fast as Tidus had. 

Rikku just repeated her movements a second time. 

Seymour took a step back as both sets of Guardians closed in and raised a hand to the ceiling. 

“Feel my pain!” He cried and the ceiling was lost in the sudden appearance of clouds in the vaulted ceiling. “COME ANIMA!” 

“He’s summoning!” Someone shouted and the guardians fell back as an enormous black chain shot out of the clouds and sank into the ground. Yuna began to summon something of her own as the gigantic chained Aeon Seymour had summoned at the tournament in Luca, crash landed with a screech that nearly equaled Oddish’s for volume. Yuna twirled her staff and went to one knee as five large ice crystals slammed down behind her. A transparent figure floated down and became visible under the reflections of the ice before they exploded, leaving an ice blue woman with blue hair standing there, wearing a cloak of blue and green tinted ice that was handed off to Yuna like she was nothing more than a coat stand, and tilted her chin upwards, displaying her bikini clad body for everyone to see. O'aka and Gatta gaped as the Aeon flicked a thick blue braid (one of the many) over her shoulder and surveyed the other Aeon before dashing forward and lashing out with a spectacular spinning kick. 

Anima screeched in pain and retaliated, golden energy pooled up in her eye and exploded, rushing out at Shiva who took the attack head on. The ice queen Shiva went to one knee but got back to her feet with hell in her eyes. She gathered her cold energy on the tip of a finger and drew a circle in the air before her, she span around and hurled a beam of magic at the Aeon. Ice quickly formed around its feet, trapping it as the frozen death crept up its body toward the head. Shiva put a hand on her hip, the other held out and in the silence that followed, snapped her fingers. The ice around Anima exploded and the Aeon went with it. The cold having made its gray flesh far more brittle, Anima broke apart under the shards that stabbed it relentlessly and faded back to the place where it waited to be summoned. 

“That power!” Everyone had been distracted by Anima and had nearly forgotten about Seymour. He stood in the same place, teeth bared as he watched both Yuna and Shiva with an insane glaze to his eyes. “That power that defeated Anima! IT WILL BE MINE!” Shiva was about to attack him at Yuna’s command when Harry gave her the command instead. 

“Shiva, kill him.” Still standing proud in spite of the damage Anima had inflicted she held up a hand and brought it down in an exaggerated movement. Out of nowhere a human sized chunk of ice appeared and slammed down into the Guado. Seymour went to his knees and Yuna suddenly ran toward him with Wakka and Kimahri at her heels. She’d wanted to punish Seymour, not kill him, to kill a Maester would make you a traitor against Yevon. 

_‘Welcome to our world.’_ Harry thought out to Tidus, getting the gist of Yuna’s thoughts as Seymour opened his eyes. He blinked when he saw Yuna. 

“Yuna… you would pity me now?” Yuna didn’t have a chance to answer before he tilted backwards and crashed to the floor. His eyes stared, unseeing at the ceiling and no breath escaped his lips. 

He was dead.

Yuna bowed her head, in guilt and closed his eyes but as she did so distant doors slamed open and Tromell came running down the hall, two Guado on his heels. 

“Lord Seymour!” He cried in anguish nearly skidding to a halt by the body. “What happened here?” He asked the room angrily. Wakka seemed to be the hardest hit by the Maester’s death, due to his beliefs. 

“What… what have we done?” 

“Wait a minute! It’s not our fault at all!” Rikku protested loudly, drawing attention to the other Summoner. 

“Yeah!” Gatta backed her. “Seymour struck first! He’s the bad guy!” Sweet as the gesture of trying to defend them may be, Tidus just wished they’d shut up. The Guado had been examining the body while this was being said but Tromell nearly blew his stack when he heard it. 

“You did this?” He was relatively calm like he was incapable of raising his voice, but the undertone of anger was unmistakable. 

“Harry, send him.” Auron said loudly. Tromell’s face contorted further as he raised a long fingered hand. 

“No stop! Stay away from him you traitors!” He waved to the two Guado and they picked up the dead body before Harry could go ahead with the sending anyway. Yuna and Wakka’s faces where white.

“Traitors?” The other Summoner asked faintly. 

“Where doomed!” Wakka moaned. Harry repeated his earlier thoughts aloud.

“Welcome to our world.” He repeated out loud. and rather harshly, as he walked to the door. 

“Let’s get out of here.” Auron said quietly to the others, his expression was grim as he walked to the door and stood there waiting for them to pass through. He did that a lot… waiting for them to make a move he’d already anticipated long ago. Yuna and Wakka dug in their heels as Harry and his guardians went to the door. Lulu went with them willingly and turned to give her usual companions a half glare when they didn’t come with them. 

“What now?” She asked in exasperation. Wakka went red faced and Harry nearly laughed at how much he looked like Ron when he was being confronted by his own Black mage guardian, Hermione… in fact the parallels he was finding between here and there where beginning to creep him out.

“We can’t go with them, Ya!” Wakka protested loudly. “You remember what they did to Yuna, right?” Lulu stomped down the stairs and grabbed Wakka by the ear. 

“Yuna made that challenge Wakka.” She reprimanded him as he was dragged along behind her saying, ‘not the ear’. “She brought it upon herself.” By the time they left the cloister of trials and walked back out into the main temple a few robed priests and monks had gathered. Harry, Yuna and their guardians where quite aware of the disapproving looks they where getting and guessed that Tromell had already spread the word about Seymour’s death. On either side of their respective Summoner Tidus and Kimahri let out frighteningly similar growls, loudly declaring their discomfort over the current situation. Yuna and Auron took to the head of their group, both meaning to talk sense into the gathering crowd. 

“Please!” Yuna pleaded. 

“Give us a chance to explain.” Auron demanded more than said in a low rumbling voice that was tainted by indignant anger. 

“No need.” Tromell emerged from the crowd and blocked their path. “I already know what I’ll tell the other Maesters.” 

“Meaning…?” Auron inquired in a suddenly much calmer tone. It was obvious he already knew what was coming but he wanted Tromell to say it first, and the Guado did so, drawing himself up straighter, like a proud old war horse that refused to die. 

“Lord Seymour was the leader of the Guado before becoming a Maester.” Even Wakka wasn’t stupid enough to misunderstand the implications behind that statement. 

“You’re not going to let us go are ye.” O'aka broke the oppressive silence and Tromell turned toward him in fake surprise. 

“Let you go?” A mocking tone in his voice. “Lord Seymour would never forgive us if we did.” 

“Wait, Wait!” Wakka came forward. “Lord Jyscal’s Sphere, ya! We can show it to ‘dem!” Tidus, Harry and Auron all looked at him questioningly before their attention was forced to turn back to Tromell. 

“You mean this?” He asked as he produced a blue sphere with the projector apparatus wrapped around it. Yuna’s eyes widened and nearly bugged out of her head as Tromell crushed their last hope of being proven innocent, literally. The Sphere was crushed to fragments and the metal of the projector pinged almost deafeningly in the silence that had descended over the temple. “Guado take care of Guado affairs.” He finished almost menacingly, and apparently, Kimahri didn’t like what he heard. 

“AWAY!” He nearly roared, braking most of Yuna’s group out of their shocked trance. 

“Run!” Auron agreed as he shouldered a path through the priests, monks and visitors. They ran for their lives and Tidus, knowing Harry would most likely tire quickly after having visited the Fayth, scooped him up as he passed, quickly taking the lead. After they re-entered the ravine the footsteps of their pursuers began to fall away but they didn’t dare stop. They charged out onto the ice that made up the roof of the lake cavern and skidded to a stop when they found the Guado waiting for them. Somehow they’d found a way to overtake them. Tidus slid slightly around on the ice before he found his balance, his shoes couldn’t grip it so he settled for a parody of skating. He had to set down Harry though as he went for his sword. The Guado weren’t waiting for them to get ready; instead they quickly concentrated on summoning a fiend. The air warped between them and out stepped a monster very different to the beasts they normally summoned. It was at least twice the size of the Ronso now accompanying them with similar characteristics, however, while Ronso resembled lions, this one looked more like a bear. It stood on two legs and its muscles bulged, as it put up its fists, ready to fight. 

It was O'aka that made the first strike. 

He raised his staff and cast a Bio spell that he’d been practicing on anything that moved almost as much as he had his elemental spells. The poison bubbled up underneath the Fiend who reacted badly but didn’t go down. One of the Guado guards made to give it an antidote serum but Rikku and Gatta weren’t going to have that. While Kimahri took a shot at the fiend the pair crept up on the Guado before Gatta grabbed him from behind, leaving him open to attack from the front. Rikku smacked him around before filching his potions sack and skipping out of harms way. As they retreated Harry coolly took the chance to hit the Guado with a Reducto spell. All pretense of playing nice had gone out the window with the humanoid species ability to reason. Blood spattered across the ice. 

The other Guado was knocked over by Wakka’s blitz ball before being electrocuted by Lulu’s Thundra spell. Unfortunately, before he was killed by the powerful electrical shock he raised a hand and blindly cast a strange red tainted spell on the Fiend. Its eyes went blazing red and it raised its arms once more, suddenly more eager to fight as it lunged at them, in spite of the poison still corroding its health from within. Auron, Tidus and Kimahri had been fighting it the whole time, keeping it from reaching the Summoners. They scattered away from another punch and regrouped before they launched an offensive. 

“What was that spell!?” Tidus called out loud in frustration as he made a swipe at the Fiend. 

“It was a Berserk spell.” Auron said as they fell back again. A rapid-fire hail of bullets from Gatta swept down on the creature, temporarily driving it back. Auron forced his energy into his enormous sword and brought it down on the disoriented beast who was weakened to the point where it didn’t care what it hit, just as long as it took them all with it. So the dying creature drew back its fist and brought it down on the ice in front of it. This seemed to signal its defeat as it fell over the new crack, its heavy body seemed to much for the already stressed ice platform to handle and it gave way just as the body burst into the customary fountain of pyre flies and just a little to late. There where shouts all around as the ice fell away in chunks. Tidus didn’t even think as he grabbed Harry and held on tight as the floor of the icy cavern loomed up on them before everything went black.

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

He groggily registered two things as he became aware of his surroundings once more. One, was the warm bundle on his chest that restricted his breathing slightly and the other was pain, originating from the jagged, freezing surface he seemed to be lying on. Tidus forced his eyes to open and had to wait a moment of two for them to focus before he lifted his head of the sharp edge digging into the back of his neck and looked down to see a mop of black hair right in front of his nose. 

‘Harry.’ His confused mind concluded simply. He tightened his grip slightly before trying to see more than a foot from his nose to see his surroundings. Once again his eyes had to readjust and his nose detected the people around them before his eyes did. 

“O'aka?” His voice was slightly slurred. The merchant shifted in surprise and looked down at him. When he moved, the blonde noticed Gatta and Lulu standing a little off to one side. 

“Hey there, you took a right knock to the head, so you did.” O'aka said, but Tidus barely heard him. The Hymn of the Fayth was reverberating loudly through his foggy head, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. Shifting Harry to his lap he struggled to get up, but in the end Gatta ended up coming forward to help him. 

“Where are we?” He asked once he had some of his wits back and the song had quieted a little. He was freezing and sluggish but it probably would have been worse if it hadn’t been for Harry, using him as a mattress. 

“We’re under the lake ice.” Lulu explained quietly and pointed to a spot above them. “You can see the temple up there.” Tidus peered up through the gloom and could just make out the shape of the underside of the path that lead to the temple. He followed it to the actual structure itself. Childishly he poked his tongue out at the offending structure, making O'aka and Gatta snicker. Awareness returning faster now, he began to examine their surroundings. 

“So I guess that the singing is coming from the Temple right?” He asked absentmindedly as his eyes traveled over the rubble of what appeared to be old buildings that was strewn across the icy floor. He was sitting on a small island of stones that elevated him above the cold water that lay undisturbed on the ice. Lulu however gave him an odd look. 

“Singing?” she asked. Tidus looked back to her and saw her faintly confused expression. 

“Yeah, the hymn thingie that the Fayth sings.” Now Gatta and O'aka where looking at him too. 

“Tidus… the Fayth of Macalania Temple hasn’t sung since the death of Lord Jyscal.” Lulu explained. The blonde Guardian blinked stupidly. 

“Then how come I can hear it?” Lulu shrugged. She didn’t know and most likely, no one else would. Eventually, after a long silence Harry began to stir. The Summoner was equally as concussed as Tidus and could barely keep his eyes open. 

“Could somebody turn down the music… I wanna sleep some more…” he said, his eyes drifting shut again. Tidus was momentarily surprised, but shook it off as he made Harry stay awake. Once he’d achieved a relatively coherent state he sat up, still in the guardian’s lap and got the same explanation about their whereabouts. After a few minutes of quiet fussing Gatta wondered off again, his combat rifle held close to his side as he scouted the area for a way out. Harry and Tidus got stiffly to their feet and followed Lulu and O'aka to a different area where Yuna lay on a large flat chunk of masonry that had remained largely intact. Kimahri stood over her like a looming statue, keeping watch, completely disregarding the cold and gloom. 

Wakka was off to one side staring into space and muttering to himself, he was in shock. Tidus didn’t really blame him at all. He’d just had his entire world ripped out from under him, all in the space of a day. To have such blind faith in Yevon the way he had… Wakka had left himself open to this kind of betrayal. 

Tidus may not have blamed him but he certainly didn’t pity him either. 

“So, does anyone know how to get out of here?” Tidus asked aloud as everyone wondered into view once more. He looked around the loose circle they’d formed and got only negative responses. Kimahri shrugged his wide blue furred shoulders. 

“We climb.” He said gruffly, pointing upwards to where the hole in the ice they’d fallen through was nearly invisible against the cloudy sky. Very little light filtered down to them and Tidus took a moment to appreciate just how big the cavern under the ice was. He frowned briefly and shivered as the cold began to get to him once more. He just wanted to find somewhere sunny and fall asleep…

The others drifted apart again as Yuna began to stir. They filled her in on what had happened but she didn’t really seem to be perturbed by their current state. She was more concerned by what would happen if they ever got out. 

“I’m sure if we go to Bevelle we can explain what happened to Maester Mika and he can clear the charges.” She said determinedly, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself more than anything else. “And if that doesn’t work we can always go to my uncle Cid.” Wakka got into the conversation then. 

“What? Isn’t your uncle Al Bhed? No way Yuna!” Yuna set her jaw stubbornly and was about to argue when Rikku broke in. 

“Whoa! Whoa! You have an Al Bhed relative named Cid? But wouldn’t that make you…” Yuna looked up at her and for the first time realized what she was. 

“I’m half Al Bhed on my mother’s side.” Yuna explained, backing down from a conflict with Wakka who looked quite put off with being ignored. “She had an argument with her brother Cid when she married my father. They never spoke again before she died but my mother always said that if I ever needed help then Uncle Cid would help me.” Rikku stared at her blankly before sitting down on the remains of a stonewall, hard. 

“This can’t be happening.” She said, grabbing her hair, a pout marring her usually bright face. “I can’t believe you’re related to me!” Rikku wailed loudly and Yuna looked offended. Normally, Rikku wouldn’t have minded another cousin to play with that wasn’t male, but Yuna hadn’t made a very good impression on her, especially after the incident on the Thunder Plains. 

“Cid is my father.” She explained offhandedly to Tidus and Harry. “He told me about his sister when I was little but I didn’t realize she had a daughter.” Yuna wore a hurt look still and suddenly stopped speaking. Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri all gathered around to make sure she was okay and Rikku skipped off to find Gatta in order to tell him the news. Tidus lead Harry toward a place where he could lay down off the ice and sat with him until Auron approached them. The old monk had his eyes closed as he face the direction of the temple. 

“Jecht used to sing this song…” He said in his normal low growling tone. Tidus looked at him sharply, a frown forming on his face.

“You can hear it?” He asked. Auron nodded and they fell into silence. Harry put his head in the blonde’s lap and let his eyes flick between them. 

“Tidus can sing it better.” He said, dismissing the singing of the Fayth with a careless wave of his hand. 

“Ah… another trait you and Jecht share.” Tidus puffed up at the comment. He didn’t like being compared to Jecht, but what really bugged him was that Auron had actually heard him sing. 

“What!? You where listening?” He remembered the only time he’d sung it within earshot of the man. It had been on the docks a year before he’d arrived in Spira and even then, he hadn’t even been singing it all that loudly. “Eeshh, can’t I get a little privacy anywhere?” He asked more disgruntled then angry. Auron had a small smirk that twisted his lips. 

“Your singing reminded me of Spira.” 

“Oh right,” Tidus gave him a slightly dirty look. “You’re not originally from Zanarkand, are you?” They lapsed into silence once more until Harry decided to break it. 

“Were you homesick?” He asked innocently enough. Auron’s smirk widened. 

“Are you?” He turned the question back on Harry who just shook his head. 

“No.” Just then Kimahri’s loud growl reached them. 

“Something wrong, something changed.” He ground out and Tidus realized with a jolt that he couldn’t hear the Fayth singing anymore. Harry quickly got to his feet along side him and Tidus gripped his hand tightly as the tight feeling of his guts twisting got worse. He’d been attributing it to hunger until now but this was different…

“There’s something here!” Wakka gasped and a tremor started as Auron shouted at the same time. 

“The ground!” They grabbed for anything that would keep them from falling as the ice below them shook, Lulu being the first to realize what it was.

“Sin! The toxin! Watch out!” 

After that point everything seemed to blur into incomprehensible images as the ice cracked open and the roars of the great menace echoed around them. In the confusion of movement and sound Tidus found himself alone. 

‘What now?’ he thought savagely. Tidus felt like he was being sucked down a great swirling drainpipe before the feeling stopped and he found himself floating in a cloudy memory, standing above his once beloved home… Zanarkand. 

_“What? Zanarkand? You homesick or something?”_ He asked the memory around him, his father’s presence everywhere. The swirling started again and he found himself in another memory, standing by a pile of Blitz balls on the familiar deck of his houseboat. He had to fight the urge to burst into bitter laughter. 

_“That’s not your world anymore. You’re Sin now. Face it. You’re stuck here!”_ There was a feeling of regret before the memory changed once more, showing him as a child, crouched on the deck and crying his eyes out. Sin’s presence was questioning. 

_“Hey! I’m older then that you know, and no, I don’t miss it.”_ Jecht’s emotions faded to weariness, as he appeared, his back to Tidus. Seeing the man again made him think of the Sphere Recording and for a moment his irritation faded, but it returned full force seconds later. 

_“Oh I know.”_ He said in a quietly furious voice. _“You want this to end don’t you? Well it will, I’ll kill you… that’s a promise.”_ His father’s face was blurred as he looked over his shoulder at the blonde but Tidus just glared back until the vision faded into nothing and unconsciousness took over his mind. Baring his father and everything else from it.


	14. Never Poke A Sleeping Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> well... shit meet fan.

He was floating…

It was odd, wafting gently in cool waters only to have some gigantic heat source pounding down on his back and nearly burning the back on his neck. The breath he’d been holding for a better part of an hour gave out and he nearly choked on the mix of fresh water and carbon dioxide bubbles. Forced to surface he threw his head back the last few inches and took a deep breath of the hot dry air. Turning to float on his back he had to shield his eyes from the sun that appeared to be beginning its decent somewhere off to the west. Slowly he stood in the water, his feet finding a tentative hold on the bottom of the pond he appeared to be floating in. It took him a few seconds to notice the soggy black mass that lay half out of the pond in the shadow of a few boulders and another minute after that to remember what it was.

“Harry!” The next few minutes where painful as he hurried over to the Summoner, feeling a whole host of aches and pain from having fallen a few hundred feet to the bottom of a frozen lake then tossed around like a rag doll by a giant creature of mass destruction who was once his father and just realized what an enormous jerk he was. A wave of relief swept through him though, not long after when he discovered the Summoner was still alive and well… if a little sunburned. The blonde moved him under a large stone overhang that was made by the boulder formation before he dared get up and look around. The view that awaited him was a shock to behold. 

Endless plains of golden sand stretched to the horizon and beyond in every conceivable direction. The only exception being the tiny oasis surrounded by a scattering of plants and rocks that he’d crawled out of not ten minutes before. The whole situation was bizarre, considering he’d just been in low-lying foothills under a frozen lake… Tidus gave an aggravated sigh and went back to Harry, checking up on the brunette before going lay down by the water to wait out the hottest part of the day. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

Harry felt as though he’d been through a blender when he next came too. He hurt all over as he peeled open his eyes, only to notice he was lying in sand and not on icy ruble like he’d been previously. The Summoner put his arms under his body, intending to get up but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Whoa! Hey, don’t get up to soon, you’ll strain yourself.” Harry followed the arm to the source of the voice and saw Tidus leaning over him, looking much less tense than he had in the short time he’d been conscious under the lake. The real surprise was that his guardian was glowing a faint gold. 

“I don’t know where we are.” Tidus went on speaking. “By the looks of it I’d say we’re in a desert.” That got Harry’s attention.

“A desert?” His tone was slightly incredulous as he finally managed to sit upright against a rock that had obviously been shading the oasis that lay nearby. Looking around he could see more rocks and a few semi arid plants but after that, life ended and sand began. “Why in Merlin’s name are we all the way out in the middle of a desert?” The last part he’d directed at Tidus, hoping he knew at least something. The blonde just shook his head. 

“My old man was being a pain in the ass.” 

Breathing out a sigh Harry looked in the direction of the sinking sun and then back to Tidus. 

“So why are you glowing?” He asked and Tidus tilted his head in confusion.

“Glowing?” Harry ‘hmm’ed’ absently and leaned closer, lifting a hand to the blonde’s arm and pretty much ignoring the response gained from his proximity. 

“This is to do with your Animagus form.” Harry concluded, running through the magical implications in his mind. “I think your form might be based on light or energy… you where sitting in the sun weren’t you.” His guardian nodded.

“Yeah, I don’t think it likes the cold that much.” He admitted, scratching the back of his head. Harry leaned back against the rock and smiled. 

“You’re getting closer to the actual transformation… which is surprising because it usually takes a fair bit longer.” Tidus just shrugged, not really knowing enough about Animagus transformations to argue otherwise. Instead he looked at the sky and then out at the desert. 

“I haven’t seen any of the others yet.” He commented as he got to his feet and held out a hand. Harry took it and Tidus pulled him to his feet. “It’s a good thing we didn’t loose anything this time.” Harry looked down and noticed absently that his staff was still attached to his belt where he’d left it. As it was late afternoon it was cool enough to travel in the desert so they set out between the dunes with no real direction. After a few minutes of walking Harry got the feeling that if they weren’t specifically looking for the others then they’d just end up wondering around in circles. He stopped then held up his staff by the very end, keeping it perfectly horizontal in front of him, Harry looked over to his companion. 

“Who first?” He asked. “Our group or Yuna’s.” He made a face when he mentioned the rival Summoner and the blonde laughed. 

“Ours.” He answered and Harry nodded before concentrating on his staff. 

“I hope this works, point me, Auron… whoa!” He gave a little shout of surprise when the whole staff moved to point in a direction slightly to their left. Losing his balance for a moment he stumbled but righted himself shortly after. 

“I guess it’s that way then.” Tidus grinned at Harry’s vaguely disgruntled look and lead the way. After about an hour of walking they came into sight of a hastily constructed shelter that lay close to the ground and made from what appeared to be a large piece of sailcloth and old bit’s of machina. Harry broke into a jog when he caught sight of a familiar red clad figure sitting on guard by the entrance. 

“Auron!” He called when he got close enough and stopped just short of the old monk. “Have you seen any of the others?” 

“Lulu and Wakka are here.” He replied after studying them for a moment, raising an eyebrow at the sight of a glowing Tidus, which was far more obvious now that the sun had finally set. “As for the others… I don’t know.” As he finished there was a stirring in the makeshift tent behind him and he moved out of the way to let Harry and Tidus see inside. Wakka was taking a nap off to one side, dead to the world and Lulu was sitting quietly nearby with her moogle in her lap, looking as though she had drifted off herself until she opened her garnet eyes to look at them. 

“Are you alright?” Where the first words out of her mouth when she saw them. Harry nodded and stayed by the door.

“How about you?” Tidus asked from behind him and the Black mage gestured to Wakka as she spoke. 

“I am well, but I fear Wakka is having a much more difficult time.” The pair took a good look at the red head and noticed that he was scuffed up in a few places. “He was being attacked by rogue Machina when we found him.” Lulu continued, her soft tone revealing some affection for the man… even if he couldn’t hear it. To Harry it was just another parallel between this world and theirs… Hermione had been one hell of a Black mage when it really came down to it. Both she and Ron had been oblivious to each others feelings until toward the end. Shaking his head to clear the memory Harry gave her a brief smile and backed off before distracting himself from the past by concentrating on another point me spell. 

“Okay…next…” He thought for a minute. “Point me, Rikku!” Once again he nearly toppled over as he did a 180 spin behind the staff. Slightly dizzy he made a mark in the sand and then sat down with a muffled thud. 

‘I’m never going to get used to that.’ He thought to himself as he waited for the dizziness to fade. He could see why the use of Staff’s had stopped after Merlin had died although they where more powerful, the intricate movements required by some spells where better done with a wand than a staff. Plus, wands where easier to carry everywhere and didn’t really get in the way like a staff could. In spite of being a Summoner, Harry had never quite adjusted. Auron joined him by the mark in the sand a few moments before there was a scream from the makeshift shelter. Tidus was laughing as he barreled out followed by an indignant Wakka who was trying to yell at him through a mouth full of sand. 

“Now that everyone is alert we should begin searching for the others.” Auron said loftily as Lulu joined them and Wakka reluctantly backed off, staying to the other side of the Black Mage and away from Tidus. They walked in silence for a while before Wakka began to roam. He stalked off in wide circles, muttering to himself before he stopped and waved back to the half formed group.

“Hey! There’s something over there, yo!” He ventured forward on his own beyond the light cast by Harry’s Lumos spell, which was simple enough for even a staff wielder to use, and the blonde Guardian’s glow. Lulu shook her head in exasperation, one hand going to pinch the bridge of her nose before she walked off after him. Harry, Auron and Tidus looked at each other and the blonde shrugged, looking at Auron.

“Don’t let anything happen to him.” He said before he sprinted off as best he could while running along a sand dune, one hand straying to his sword. The dunes dipped into a kind of basin not far away from their path and the blonde spotted Lulu and Wakka at the bottom besides a familiar hulking blue Ronso. Just off to their left was another person crouched on top of an old Machina structure that stuck out of the sand holding a staff that glowed the same way Harry’s did.

“Boy ‘m I glad to see you.” O'aka jumped down from his perch and walked over to Tidus, his light bobbing along behind him as he slung his focus over his shoulder. “First the ice went Kablooie, and then I find me’self all the way out here with that there Ronso roaring to ‘imself ‘bout losing his Summoner.” O'aka stopped beside him and was silent for all of two seconds before he looked at the blonde with a strange expression on his face. 

“You do know you’re all glowie don’t ye?” Tidus gave a half laugh and nodded before looking away. O'aka just shrugged and continued up a few feet to see over the rim of the basin and looking out into the distance. 

“What’s that there light?” He asked and Tidus glanced over his shoulder to see the solitary marker in the desert night.

“Harry and Auron are waiting for us on the path.” The blonde explained. “We were looking for Rikku but Wakka wondered off. I think it was because he heard Kimahri or something.” O'aka seemed to brighten if it was even possible to be even more… excitable than he normally was. 

“I’ll just go over there and say hello then.” And with that he was gone. Tidus turned back to the darkened basin of sand and peered through the semi-darkness to where the three rival guardians stood. Kimahri looked depressed as he trudged up a dune, only to slide back down and begin the cycle all over again. 

“Yuna gone.” He said in the kind of tone that reminded Tidus of a lost kitten as opposed to the rough image of most Ronso. For whatever reason, a part of Tidus was ashamed that the blue beast had let himself fall so far.

“Then what are you doing standing around here for?” The blonde asked harshly and the Ronso froze, not looking at him while Wakka gave him an outraged look on the creature’s behalf but that didn’t stop him. “Why are you sitting here wallowing in your own self pity when there’s still a chance she could be out there?” Kimahri’s fists clenched and unclenched convulsively as Tidus built up more steam. “You’re no good as a Guardian to Yuna, or anyone, standing here in the desert. If you’re not going to get up and do something you’re better off going back to your mountain and staying there.”

“Why you!” Wakka chocked out, pulling his blitz ball into view but Lulu’s hand stopped him as she stared at the Ronso’s back. His muscles where tensed and he was shaking with repressed emotion before he suddenly relaxed. 

“Guardian right.” He finally growled out, surprising Wakka. “Kimahri no use to Yuna here.” He turned and met the blue eyes staring down at him and gave a nod of the head. Tidus’s expression softened and he smiled. 

“Come on! We haven’t got all night and we still gotta pick up Rikku and Gatta.” Kimahri nodded again and scooped his spear out of the sand before rushing up the dune after the blonde, leaving Lulu to grab Wakka and drag him along behind. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

“Hey! OVER HERE!” Everyone was jolted out of their individual thoughts as a hyperactive voice shrieked out to them from ahead. Harry looked up and spotted a fire going not far away and realized they’d found two more members of the group as Gatta emerged from a rough structure behind the bouncing and waving form of Rikku. That left only the other missing Summoner, which the pair noticed right away.

“Where’s Yuna?” Gatta asked looking around but all he found where blank looks. 

“She’s gone.” Lulu said, somewhat distant as she said it aloud, but she refrained from continuing her thoughts. Off to one side Rikku blinked at the group and giggled nervously, grabbing their attention once more as she fidgeted slightly. 

“Uh… hehehe… Ummm, Harry, there’s something I’ve got to tell you.” She said, gaining a little more courage as she went. “Remember when we found you in the ruins, before we where washed off the ship, and the others said they where going to bring you and Tidus to Home?” The green eyed Summoner’s head tilted to one side and a faint realization dawned in his expression, he smiled brightly a moment later.

“You know where we are.” Rikku nodded with a grin of her own, she stuck her tongue out at Wakka a moment later when the red head’s eyes screwed up in suspicion. 

“We’re on Bikanel Island.” She explained for the sake of everyone else since Harry, and most likely Tidus, already knew what she was referring to. “There’s a place us Al Bhed call home near here. Yunie will be there too, I’m sure of it. The other Al Bhed come around all the time so they must have rescued her earlier.”

“Rescued?” Wakka scoffed suddenly. “Probably more like Kidnapped!” Tidus fought the urge to roll his eyes in exasperation. When would the islander ever shut the hell up?

“If they have her she’s probably safer then she would have been out here with you.” The glowing blonde snapped irritably before he turned his back on the spluttering adult. Rikku glowered briefly at Wakka also before she brightened and waved a finger by her head. 

“Anyway, I’ll take you there if you promise that you won’t tell anyone about it. Especially not the Yevonites, okay?” This was directed more to Yuna’s guardians rather than Harry’s. “You know they don’t like us Al Bhed. Who knows what they’ll do if they knew?” 

“Gimme a break,” Wakka interrupted rudely. “What are you accusing Yevon of this time?” Rikku got ruffled and squared off with the red head.

“Yevon did something really bad to us before.” She stated, her cheeks puffing out. 

“Well, you Al Bhed must’ve deserved it.” Wakka nodded stubbornly as he said this, like those words finished everything. Rikku was getting more and more upset by his presence and Harry already had a headache, which in turn was threatening to be passed on to Tidus. 

“Knock it off Wakka.” Tidus ordered harshly, subconsciously bringing down his uncontrolled power on the man to make him quiet. “You won’t tell anyone about the Island and I won’t have to leave you out here for the fiends to find.” He didn’t wait for an answer but looked at the younger Al Bhed instead, his temper slinking to the back of his mind. 

“Can you show us the way?” He asked in a calmer tone. “I think we should at least try to reach it before sunrise or we’ll have to deal with the heat.” Rikku agreed and took a good look around before scampering off a small way to get her bearings. Everyone else took the chance to rest once more. It would probably be the last time they’d get to before setting off toward Home. Tidus was actually quite glad for the fire Rikku and Gatta had built. As the sun had gone down the desert had become much cooler and the warm glow was beginning to wear off, meaning, he could actually feel the temperature around him again. Eventually, Rikku figured out where she was going and they set off. 

Rikku lead them through the dunes with little difficulty and before long a corona of light became visible on the horizon just beyond the larger dunes ahead. The fifteen year old cheered when she saw it and then admitted that she’d never actually tried to walk the Sanubian Desert in the dark before and that before she’d seem it she’d had absolutely no idea whether she was heading in the right direction or not. They crested another dune and the Al Bhed home came into sight, leaving Tidus with a half smile twisting his lips bitterly as he examined the structure.

Its layout was like a large octagon at the base and the central building rose up a few stories before cutting off to reveal a flat roof. Out from that building leaned Eight metal towers, all of them a metallic silver and bronze color in the blazing flood lights that where mounted all over the place. Tidus could still see lights in windows in spite of the bright illumination of the area and figures moving within. The metal building was impressive to say the least and the most advanced thing he’d seen in Spira so far.

“Home Sweet Home.” Rikku grinned and glanced at Gatta. “Race you to the bottom!” She declared loudly before she went sliding down the dune. Gatta yelped and took off after her, the others following at a more sedate pace, so when they reached the bottom Rikku and Gatta were already waiting for them along with a few other Al Bhed.

“Hey Harry! I want you to meet someone!” Rikku chirped as she grabbed Harry’s hand and pulled him over to a tall bald man who wore a yellow jumpsuit that was zipped up at the front, a large pair of goggles rested on his chest just under his chin which was covered with a short blonde beard. “Pops, this is Harry, the Summoner I’ve been protecting.” She presented him proudly before turning back to Harry. “And this, is my father, Cid.” She said proudly. “He was the one who brought all the Al Bhed together here.” Harry looked slightly surprised but bowed slightly to the man none the less. 

“Pleasure to meet you.” He offered shortly, intentionally refraining from any of his more formal tendencies during the greeting. He didn’t need Legimancy to know that Cid was the kind of man who probably couldn’t stand to deal with any pomp or ceremony. 

“So you’re the kid who’s been draggin’ round my little girl!” Cid said in a rough tone as he peered down at Harry, studying him intently. Harry nodded and the older man snorted before he looked at the rest of the group. An eyebrow went up when he saw Auron, but fortunately he didn’t say anything.

“Are all these yours?” I asked incredulously, referring to the number of Guardians assembled behind him. Rikku burst out laughing as she heard that and Harry endeavored to explain. 

“No! The three over there, Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri, they’re Lady Yuna’s Guardians. She was caught up in Sin’s wake just like the rest of us and we brought them along with us while we traveled. We concluded that you had already found her.” Cid screwed up his face as the information processed. 

“Ugghhh.” He made a noise as he waved toward an Al Bhed man nearby. _“Dyga draca drnaa tufh du dra Summoner's Sanctum.” (Take these three down to the Summoner’s Sanctum.)_ The man promptly saluted and beckoned Yuna’s Guardian’s to follow him. 

“Don’t just stand there, go on, get outta here.” Cid instructed gruffly, gesturing for them to follow as well. The three gave the other group one last look before they where herded into the building and out of sight. He returned his attention to the remains of their party and tiredly beckoned them to follow, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening as he frowned. He barked at a few people and before they knew it they where all being shown to empty quarters for the night. O'aka and Gatta both went to bed right away and Rikku followed them right after, having worn herself out jumping all over another of her siblings, an older male named Keyakku. Auron had drifted away not long after to find someone he had to talk to leaving Harry and Tidus on their own once more. 

Stumbling into their room Tidus gratefully slumped onto a bed. There where two of them in the room, about a foot apart underneath the long, narrow window that let in the light cast by the floodlights outside. Harry wondered around the room, looking at everything before stumbling upon a bathroom, two seconds later he was ready to go find any Al Bhed in the area and kiss them at the revelation that they had working showers. 

Did he mention how much he loved the Al Bhed right now?

He’d been in there no less than five minutes when a barely audible gasp reached his ears and the door opened to reveal Tidus leaning against the frame panting slightly. 

“Something’s wrong.” He managed to choke out and Harry only had time to grab his shirt and boxers before the blonde slid to the floor gasping. The Summoner cursed violently as he remembered where he’d seen something like this happen before. 

“It’s starting!” He said in disbelief as he helped his guardian back to his bed. Tidus curled in on himself and bit his lip to keep from screaming as his stomach turned violently. It was lucky he hadn’t eaten anything in a while or he would have lost it. He closed his eyes as his headache grew stronger and dimly registered Harry speaking somewhere above him. The blonde made himself listen to what he was saying.

“…I didn’t think it would start so soon.” Harry was saying aloud. “Your animagus is forcing your body to change in order to manifest itself fully and it will hurt more because you aren’t in control of the change like most people would be. It…it happens to werewolves too… an animagus’s body has to learn the new shape it will take, it melts down your body and moulds it into a new form, magic compensates for extreme changes like in size and strength. The first change is very slow and can last from between hours to days. Please don’t try to fight it to much…” Tidus probably would have cursed a blue streak if he wasn’t in to much pain to do so. He wanted to scream as well but he bit his lip harder in an effort to fight it. Harry noticed and left him for a moment to retrieve his staff from the bathroom before casting a silencing spell around the changing blonde. He sat back down by his head and placed a hand on his collarbone, giving him something to focus on. 

“You can scream.” He said simply and Tidus simply opened his mouth and let out a silent roar of pain that no one could hear. Harry gave him a worried look before he backed away and went to sit on the room’s other bed, his hands gripping his staff so tightly that they where stark white against the black and silver wood. He couldn’t do anything for Tidus now. The first change was something all animagus’s had to go through without help from anyone else. It this point, to cast any spells on the blonde would disrupt the process and most likely cause a defect in the animagus form or that of the human when they charged back. Many had learned the hard way how dangerous it was, which was part of the reason all animagus had to be monitored and registered by the ministry in the first place. Although, during the war with Voldemort, the reasons for having an animagus registered had been reduced to discouraging spies. Tidus arched off the mattress slightly and went back down with a thump, shaking Harry out of his thoughts. He shot another look at the blonde and let out a small sigh. If he wasn’t showing signs of changing yet it probably wouldn’t be very fast. He had a few hours until dawn so he gathered everything and folded his clothes before getting into his bed and praying that nothing would catch up to them during the next few days. God knows they would be at their weakest.

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

The metallic Al Bhed fortress glittered in an eerily beautiful way as the sun peeked across the top of the dunes that made up the Sanubian desert. From above it gave the illusion of tiger stripes as the tops of the dunes where washed with gold and shadows deepening in the gaps between. Around ‘Home’ the men and women on the night shift where yawning tiredly as they waited for their replacements to come and relieve them from guard duty. To the west of ‘Home’ the sea was calm and boats lay still at their births, generators humming slightly as early risers began preparations for the day. Having not been disturbed the desert was peaceful and here the Al Bhed people could relax without fear of going under attack as the Yevonites had no idea about their small corner of paradise they’d built for themselves. 

New guards where emerging from Home and heading to their positions when all of a sudden an urgent call went up from the guard posts. There where panicked screams and someone finally hit a switch, setting off a loud wailing alarm that pierced the air vengefully. One Al Bhed walking on the northern side of ‘Home’ was looking at the ground when he was cast into shadow. Alarms had begun to sound behind him and he instantly feared what he’d see if he looked up, but morbid curiosity coupled with the fact that the shadow was getting larger forced him to look.

He instantly wished he hadn’t. 

His scream rent the air, but was drowned out by the alarms as the giant talons of a Zuu bird swept out of the sky and grabbed him from the sand. Fiends where coming out of nowhere and attacking en-mass, something that had never happened before, not even when Sin came around and tried to attack the area on the rare occasion that it did. Chimera and Bombs where entering now under the aerial cover provided by the Zuu, but the Al Bhed where finally gathering their wits and where launching a counter attack of their own. Gunfire tore the air and fiends went down, but for every one killed two more took its place. It was Keyakku, who was helping the evacuation of the women, children and Summoners, who spotted their true enemy first.

 _“DRA GUADO!”_ The others soon took up his warning and the Guado just seemed to appear out of thin air behind the fiends. It was like every Guado of Guadosalam had come for the attack and now they where breaching the building themselves. Keyakku ran to the main entrance and joined the battle there once his groups had been taken to the evacuation point. He hadn’t been there long when a familiar figure walked up to them and waved a hand, sending an extremely high-level firaga spell bearing down on the defenders. As Fiends flooded forward to finish them off Keyakku could only think one thing. 

‘Didn’t Rikku say he was dead?’

His world went black.

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

There was nothing less than absolute chaos in the corridors of the Al Bhed ‘Home’ as those fighting desperately tried to protect the dwindling number of survivors that had yet to reach relative safety. Harry was one of those people. 

He’d woken as the alarms had begun to sound and had cursed Murphy’s law to hell and back as he’d thrown on his clothes and hefted a half transformed arm across his shoulders. Tidus had stopped screaming long ago, his vocal chords being in the middle of a change, making speaking a difficult task. Right now he was barely coherent and in no condition to fight. His hands where half mutated into claws, there where spikes coming out of his spine and his feet where twisted and elongated so awkwardly that he needed help to stand. The Summoner had tried calling for his other Guardians but they weren’t around, probably having thought that Tidus would keep him safe while they helped the Al Bhed fight. 

Half dragging the blonde, Harry turned down another corridor and dodged another Guado before a feeling of complete and utter dread nearly knocked him off his feet. Suddenly very afraid he began looking for a way out. He couldn’t summon in the tight corridor and he certainly didn’t have the strength or skill to run and cast at the same time, while carrying Tidus. The feeling grew stronger and Harry dragged Tidus into a dead end in the hopes of hiding but a cold voice made his hopes come crashing down. 

“Well, well, well. Isn’t this a wonderful surprise.” Harry lowered a nearly convulsing Tidus gently to the floor and turned around slowly. Under his robes and tied to the back of his belt he could feel the weight of his staff, positively buzzing to be used as green eyes met the steely blue of none other than Seymour Guado. 

“I can’t say I agree with you.” Harry said in a voice that held a very fragile edge of calm. His fingers twitched for a weapon but he refrained from going for his staff. “After all, I am a traitor to Yevon, am I not?” he was just plain scathing now. Seymour scowled magnificently at the accusations hidden in the Summoner’s words. He took a step to the side and revealed the new sight of Summoner Yuna being restrained by another Guado soldier. She was struggling with her captor and attempting to yell at them through a gag as her panicked mismatched eyes took in the scene. 

“Get him!” Seymour ordered almost shrilly. A few Guado leapt forward and Harry lashed out at them with his bare hands. His struggles managed to keep them at bay for a few seconds before they overpowered him. Seymour smirked in triumph as they dragged him over to where the other soldier stood with Yuna.

“I believe we have everything we came for.” The blue haired grease ball drawled. “Tell my men to bring this place down.” He ordered another Guado. “I want this placed turned to rubble the moment we leave.” The soldier nodded and left but before Seymour’s small entourage could do the same there was a low growl from the dead end they’d just grabbed Harry from. Seymour looked back into the darkness, as did Harry who’s eyes widened at the sight that awaited them. Tidus was half raised of the floor on unsteady, mutated arms and legs. He glared up at Seymour and Harry saw that in the few minutes that he hadn’t looked at Tidus the change had accelerated. His face was now changing as his eyes went solid blue. The right side of his face had fine gold scales and a horn was even growing out of his hair. His right ear had flattened out along the side of his head and had nearly vanished, blending in with the scales that ran down his slowly lengthening neck. 

One claw was held to his stomach and Seymour, fortunately or unfortunately, mistook him for being injured. He let out a bark of laughter and turned away.

“The guardian is dying.” He crowed settling a look on Harry, “There’s no one to protect you now… Master Summoner.” He laughed again, harsh and evil, at the look on Harry’s face as he said that. “Bring them!” He snapped and strode away. Barely two minutes after his departure Auron came barreling down the hall and skidded to a stop when he saw Tidus, half out of the corridor and trying to stand on mismatched feet. The old man stared at him for what felt like an eternity as he took in the change that had been wrought on the teenager. He looked him in the eye when he let out a growl and the only thing he saw in the solid blue depths was rage, pure rage that burned under the surface just begging to be released. Then the teen collapsed. Auron moved forward and cautiously helped him up again before steering him in the direction the others had gone. 

They got plenty of fearful looks as they boarded the Al Bhed’s airship and they only increased the closer they got to the bridge. Passing the makeshift recovery area where Yuna’s guardians had been brought he brought Tidus to the bridge before letting him drop to the floor again. Rikku squealed in a mix of fear and surprise when she saw Tidus and effectively brought on them the attention of everyone else.

“Who the hell is that?” Cid, displaying no subtlety whatsoever, demanded. The blonde’s head shot up and he growled inarticulately, making more than a few people flinch. 

“Tidus? Is that you?” Rikku took a step closer and then jumped back when his head snapped around to look at her. Dried tears had traced lines down her face and now she hurried to erase all evidence that she’d been crying. 

“The Guado took Harry and Yuna.” Auron reported, ignoring Tidus when he growled again. “We’re going to need your help if we’re going to get them back.” The last part had been directed at a surly Cid who had been shouting out orders again, and it hadn’t even been a request. The Al Bhed leader was going to help them and that was that, no other option. 

“But how are we gonna find them?” Gatta asked from beside Rikku, although he began to edge away from her when a hundred over protective family members leveled brief glares at him. 

“Well that’s the thing, we’re gonna search for them on this airship!” Cid replied, becoming more enthusiastic as the talk turned to his baby.

“Airship?” O'aka asked and Cid gave him an utterly scandalized look before turning away grumbling in Al Bhed. His voice was raised again when he began yelling.

 _“Hu desa! Ku, Ku, Ku!” (No time! Go, Go, Go!)_ Al Bhed rushed to finish preparations and took their proper stations. At the helm was the same ship captain that had taken Tidus and Harry on board after finding them in the ruins where they’d met Rikku. As it turned out, he was another or Rikku’s siblings… her older brother to be precise. 

_“Three minute myad!”_ Cid seemed ready to explode when he heard that. 

_“Rinno, rinno! Oui ryja, one minute!”_ Shortly after the ground began to shake beneath them and it was all they could do to remain standing as the airship began to move. Cid turned around and promptly started yelling at someone else.

 _“Ajanouha uh puynt?”_ The other man played with some knobs and dials and yelled back. 

_“Ajanouha ymeja!”_ Cid let out a grin as the Airship shuddered again and began to lift from the crumbling underground dock. Brother turned around in the pilot’s seat and called back. 

_“Vydran! Nayto du ku!”_ Cid grined so wide the guardian’s swore that they could see all his teeth. 

_"Oaaryy! Y vmekrd 1000 years ujantia!"_ Sand rained down on the airship as the great steel plates slid away above them. Leaving them open to the smoke clouded expanse of the sky. A few of the Zuu still attacking Home circled toward them when they noticed the gleaming metal hull rising from the ground. To some, the light above came as a shock, considering the darkness inside Home. The power generators had been taken out by some lucky hit and left them mostly in the dark. 

Brother was staring, his mouth hanging slightly as he spoke.

 _“Fruy! Ed sujac!”_ Cid laughed.

 _“Necg pek, feh pek!”_ Brother took hold of the controls and brought the Airship around to see ‘Home’, or at least what remained of it. 

_“Fruy! Ed ymeac!”_ The mohawked blonde piped up again. Cid turned his gaze away from home and looked at him. 

_“Hagd, fa ica dryd!”_ What ever he’d said hadn’t been what Brother wanted to hear. His shoulders sagged and his chin dropped closer to his chest. 

_“Frydajan oui cyo.”_ Cid moved forward and put a hand on Brother’s shoulder, before taking in the sight of home once more. A place he had helped build in order to bring the Al Bhed together. 

_“I ye yu i,”_ He began to sing in a deep voice that resonated around the command deck as the others fell silent. Somewhere in his haze of pain and anger even Tidus recognized the Hymn of the Fayth. Other Al Bhed, all over the ship, followed Cid’s lead and sang as well. 

_“No bo me no._  
Re en mi ni,  
Yo ju yo go.  
Ha sa te ka na e,  
Ku ta ma e.” 

“What’s going on?” Gatta asked Rikku quietly, not having understood enough Al Bhed to follow the conversation. Rikku gave him a distressed look. 

“We’re… we’re going to blow up our Home!” 

“How?” Lulu enquired. Cid however, was the one who answered her question.

“With one of the forbidden Machina!” He crowed before spinning around to yell at his men. 

_“Nayto? Vena!”_ A crew member pulled a few leavers and hatches on the outer rim of the deck slid open. Not a second later a barrage of homing missiles where launched through the air in the direction of Home and Brother booked it toward the desert, pushing the Airship to top speed in order to escape the shock wave. For a minute they thought it was going to overtake them but Brother activated the boosters and sent them hurtling up into the blue and well out of range of the debris. Many crew members gave mournful looks in the direction of Home as the Airship leveled out on the clouds but Cid on the other hand was laughing like there was no tomorrow. 

_“Gah-hah-hah-hah! Nadinh du ceht!”_ Brother wasn’t taking it to well though and was sobbing like a girl in his seat. Cid clapped him comfortingly on the shoulder. _“Hu haat yun daync! Fryd ec kuut ypuid machina, ec drao lyh pa piemd yhaf, oui caa?”_

In the few minutes after that everyone milled around slightly lost or confused and Wakka, who had joined them, along with Lulu as the Airship had been taking off managed to open his big mouth and upset half the Al Bhed on the bridge by saying something about fireworks. Lulu had gone to Cid and was now listening to him as he explained out the device he was using to track down the kidnapped Summoners. Cid admitted at one point that he had absolutely no idea exactly how everything on the Airship worked, which thrilled the bald man to no end and scared the crap out of Wakka. No one really did anything for a while after that. People ran around working as they shook off the shock of seeing their Home destroyed and O'aka was charged with watching over Tidus as he curled up on the floor, his skin still warping as he continued to change at a slower pace then he had been during all the excitement. 

Then, after a while Brother yelled, making them jump to attention. 

_“Vydran! Fa vuihd Yuna!”_ Cid rushed forward as people leaned in to listen. 

_“Frana?”_ He asked. 

_“E femm cruf oui!”_ Brother hit a few buttons and an image was projected onto the screen above them and the growling Tidus wasn’t the only one disturbed by what they saw. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

_An image appeared. Yuna was walking along a red carpet on a balcony wearing a long, white dress that left her shoulders bare. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head, and all was covered with a misty veil. She carried a colorful bouquet of flowers in her hand but the expression on her face was more determined than happy as guards herded her along to where Seymour was approaching from the other side of what they identified at a tower top._

_As they met up in the middle Seymour sent a smirk at a cluster of guards and the image shifted slightly to bring the second Summoner into view. Harry didn’t look good at all. He’d put up more of a fight and paid for it if the bruises and cuts on his person where anything to go by…_

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

“That was the Palace of St. Bevelle. Heart of Yevon.” Lulu breathed out. “This isn’t good.” Cid yelled out and the Airship leapt forward once more as someone hit the boosters. They where nearly there when Auron looked down to see Tidus curled on the ground. His skin and clothes had turned gold and seemed to be boiling as they melted together. Glowing solid blue eyes glared into space as he began to growl and the old monk just knew that he was going to finish changing into whatever it was he was warping into. 

“Quick!” He grabbed anyone who wasn’t important and still strong enough to carry a person the size of Tidus and made to move the feral guardian. “We have to get him out onto the deck before its complete!” Cid shouted something through the intercom and suddenly the bridge was flooded with people willing to help, including, much to the surprise of the other Guardian’s, a summoner called Issaru. Moving as fast as they could with their thrashing load they rushed through the Airship toward the large elevator that lead to the deck, but as they entered the cabin the Airship shook violently as a large something sideswiped it. The thing turned and did another pass and this time they got a better look at it. 

It was Evrae, the guardian Wyrm of the Palace of Saint Bevelle. 

Tidus growled. 

**‘Out…NOW!’** A rough voice thundered through their heads, only to be drowned out by an unintelligible roar of pain as something crunched sickeningly, somewhere in his body. They rushed out of the elevator and everyone but Harry and Yuna’s guardians retreated back to the cabin to watch. 

Evrae roared as it charged the ship a third time. The guardians got ready for a fight they weren’t sure they would win, when a shadow loomed above them on the deck, blocking the sun. They turned around, half fearing what they would see when they did and found a dragon, nearly twice the size of Evrae standing on its hind legs. Giant gold wings stretched out behind it and emblazoned on its chest was a large silver marking in the same shape as the necklace Tidus always wore…

Then it hit them,

The dragon WAS Tidus.

A great roar from the guardian turned dragon nearly threw them off their feet as they grabbed their ears in pain and the Airship rocked wildly as new wings started to beat the air. Evrae, who had halted its attack, shrieked a challenge of its own as Tidus took off. His flight was unsteady for the first few moments then instinct took over and the gold dragon took off after the Azure winged Wyrm. 

It was going to be a battle of the guardian beasts… literally.

Al Bhed, Guardian and Summoner alike where all reduced to staring in a mix of horror, awe and morbid fascination as the pair collided in mid air. The silvery Wyrm tried to throw itself away from the larger dragon but Tidus latched on with claws like steal and snapped at the join where its wings attached to its body. It gave a shriek and landed a glancing blow on the gold dragon’s chest. Tidus backed off and made wide circle only to stop not far away and turn around before he spewed out a gout of blue and white flames. It formed into a fireball and hurtled at the Wyrm, which barely managed to dodge before another hit it in the tail. Apparently after that it had decided Tidus was too much and wheeled around in mid air, making a beeline back to Bevelle, but the guardian turned dragon wasn’t going to stand for that. He sounded another challenge and perused. 

Back on the air ship Cid gave out a whoop.

“Would ya look at that! He’s go the darn thing on the run! Full speed ahead!” Thus the Airship leapt forward, pushing its engines to the limit as they caught up to the battle. Tidus had caught Evrae again and was now wrestling upside down in mid air, his wings beating twice as hard to make up for the struggling dead weight of the other dragon. It’s opaline wings where limp against its sides and as Tidus broke past its outer layer of diamond hard scales a shower of gore rained down from the sky, right over the approximate outskirts of Bevelle. Below, people where looking up and pointing at the spectacle or running in fear as Tidus finally decided to end the pathetic creature’s suffering. He put his jaws around its neck and bit down as hard as he could, teeth tore through scales and flesh alike before Evrae let out one last sound of death and fell. Even so, before it could hit anything the corpse burst into a bright rain of pyre flies that descended on the single largest tower of Bevelle…

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

On the palace of saint Bevelle the wedding that had been anxiously anticipated by the whole of Spira came to a grinding halt as an ominous roar echoed around them amid the fall of pyre flies that had appeared from nowhere. Seymour had turned his eyes to the sky and was now looking around for the source of the noise as he backed toward the stairs to the upper level. Then a large metallic object came screaming from out of nowhere and circled the tower as the solider monks shook of their surprise and went to man their stations. Maester Kinoc was shouting nearby and the weapons placed along the balconies opened fire. 

Seymour signaled to the guard holding the Master Summoner to get to the top of the stairs before he grabbed the Lady Yuna’s arm and dragged her up afterward as the Airship did another lap around the tower. The large veil she wore, escaped its ties and went flying into the air before she could grab it again. It slipped through the air, just narrowly missing being caught on the two huge anchors that crashed into the floor at the far end of the tower. Thick steal cables attached them to the airship and people where sliding down them. 

When as she saw a large blur of blue she realized who it was. The Guardian’s had come to get them. They where safely on the tower when the cables where snapped by the cannon fire. It only took a glace to see one of her rival Summoners Guardian’s was missing… Tidus wasn’t with the group. She threw a look over at the other teen and noticed that he wasn’t even looking at the Guardians. Instead he was looking at the sky, his eyes blazing with what appeared to be triumph. Yuna followed his lead and looked up, only to gasp in shock at the sight that awaited her. 

A giant golden dragon had broken through the clouds and was speeding toward the tower, twisting and turning in mid air to avoid the cannons aimed in its direction. Everyone not fighting had stopped to stare and that cost them their lives as the Dragon made a pass over the tower and swiped at the Maesters. They avoided the wicked looking claws, but the soldier monks weren’t so lucky. A flick of the dragon’s tail caught one of the cannons and sent it and its operators speeding toward the rest of the palace below. In the chaos of fighting off enemies from both air and land the guard holding Harry wasn’t doing his job right. The dark haired Summoner didn’t look the gift horse in the mouth and hammered his elbow into the guards stomach, brought his uninjured foot down on his instep, swung his fist over his shoulder to pound the poor man in the nose before changing direction and aiming for the groin. The man let go of him, whimpering quietly in pain as he curled into a fetal position and clutched himself. Harry took a limping step forward and clapped his hands together to get rid of imaginary dust before he reached under his robe for his staff. 

A quick look told him that his escape had, so far, gone unnoticed and he slipped behind a heavily decorated pillar, out of sight of the combatants while he concentrated on himself. His robes where ripped, but fixable, and they needed to be cleaned. A thick coat of blood was nearly invisible on the black material but the overpowering smell gave it away. He couldn’t clean it now though… he still needed his magic for more important things, like healing.

He focused internally and drew out his magic, channeling it through the staff he whispered the spell.

“Curaga!” The spell was instantly effective and Harry could feel the larger injuries healing over, including his foot. Slumping back against the pillar he waited until he was sure the worst was healed before he stuck his head out to see what was going on. The scene awaiting him was far from pretty. The bodies of dead Soldier Monks where scattered around the lower tiers of the tower and the remains of Machina was equally as numerous. The Guardians where climbing the stairs at a frenzied rate but came to a screeching halt a moment later. 

“This has gone far enough!” Maester Kinoc stepped away from the others and brought up a Machina Rifle of his own as a fresh wave of monks surrounded them. The dragon’s roars had faded somewhat as it flew around the tower, taking out any enemy that was stupid enough to show itself. Among the guardians O'aka was gripping his own staff like he wanted to beat the man into a bloody pulp but Auron pulled him back by his backpack. 

“No, wait.” He warned the red head just loud enough that no one else would hear. “Harry isn’t up there.” O'aka looked and found he was right. Harry couldn’t be seen on the tower top. He relaxed slightly and stood back with the more experienced guardian to see how it would play out. From Harry’s point of view he could see nearly everything and was well aware of when Yuna put her hands behind her back and began to fidget with her dress. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when she pulled a staff out from the concealing folds. 

‘Oh, looks like I wasn’t the only one with a trump card.’ Harry thought to himself idly as Yuna took a few determined steps and stood in front of Seymour, her bluish colored staff held out horizontally before her. Seymour looked at the staff before he looked at the Summoner and raised an eyebrow. 

“You would play at marriage, Just for a chance to send me?” From his hiding place Harry understood why Yuna had suddenly stopped struggling on the way to Bevelle. Seymour, however, simply seemed amused by Yuna’s efforts to send him. “Your resolve is admirable… only more fitting for you to be my lovely wife.” Yuna narrowed her own eyes slightly and began the first twirling movements of her staff. The unsent Guado, however, made no move to stop her. Instead it was another Maester altogether that rasped out the command. 

“Stop.” More than a little surprised, Yuna stopped her sending before it had even really begun and all eyes settled on the bent, decrepit figure of Maester Mika. “Do you not value the lives of your guardians?” he asked almost gravely and Yuna was compelled to look back at the group on the stairs and somehow managed to speak in her confused state. 

“…but not all of those Guardians are mine.” She said softly and the memories of those above them came back with a jolt. Seymour turned, eyes scanning the balcony behind him, quickly noticing the downed guard and the absence of the second Summoner. Only his unshakable calm mask kept him from expressing the stream of curses that sprung from the back of his mind. The other Maester’s present also seemed to realize that the captive ‘traitor’ had gone missing but Mika plowed on anyway.

“Regardless of their loyalties, your actions determine your fate.” Mika stated harshly. “Protect them, or throw them away, the choice is yours.” Yuna was torn. Mismatched eyes wide, she looked from one side to the other trying to weigh the costs before she gave up completely and let her staff fall from limp fingers. The clatter it made as it hit the ground was almost deafening to those who stood on the stairs. 

“You are wise.” Seymour smirked triumphantly as he grabbed Yuna by the shoulders and turned her to face him. Yuna had only a faint glint of defiance in her eyes as the Guado half-breed leaned in and kissed her. Kimahri gave a half roar while Wakka ground his teeth, squeezing his blitz ball so badly Harry thought it would burst. As the two on the tower top kissed, bells began to ring through out the city. Loudly announcing the union of Maester and Summoner. When they finally broke apart Yuna turned away, looking a little green, while Seymour waved a dismissive hand between Kinoc and the guardians. 

“Kill them.” The flippant order had soldier monks surrounding the Guardians in an instant. They grouped together, back to back as they met their eyes warily. Kinoc came forward and looked at Auron. 

“I am sorry, but it is for Yevon.” He told the old guardian, something in his voice betraying weakness few could hear. 

“Aren’t those weapons forbidden by Yevon?” Auron’s tone held a sharp edge of scorn. Kinoc just shrugged. 

“There are… exceptions.” Then he cocked his weapon, twisting slightly to take aim, directly at Rikku. The Al Bhed girl’s eyes widened as she stared down the barrel of the gun, but before his finger could squeeze the trigger there was a sudden blur of movement and a shout behind the Maesters.

“STOP!” People turned and all eyes moved to rest on the towers previously hidden occupant. Harry stood on the edge of the balcony, green eyes blazing with determination as glared at anyone who wasn’t a guardian, but it wasn’t his sudden appearance that caught them off guard, it was the fact that he had grabbed Yuna. The female Summoner was stunned at her new predicament as she felt the staff held across her throat crackle menacingly. “Drop your weapons.” Harry ordered coldly and the soldier monk’s complied. Maester Kinoc was slower to comply and Harry dragged Yuna back a few more steps, right to the edge of the balcony before Seymour finally signaled those still armed to back off. As they did the guardians tried to move forward, a steaming Wakka in the lead, but Harry sent them a look, stopping them dead. 

“No, don’t follow me.” He ordered shortly. “Turn around and get out of here, now!” Rikku, Gatta and O'aka looked torn between obeying and rebelling, while Wakka was just pissed off. But at the back of their group, Auron, Lulu and Kimahri showed some understanding. 

“But ‘Ry…” Rikku trailed off when Harry shook his head.

“No Rikku, just go, trust me.” His harsh expression softened slightly as he addressed her but then it hardened when he returned his glare to the Maesters. “I wasn’t named Master Summoner for nothing.” There was silence as the words soaked onto their brains and began to connect the scattered clues in the memories of those who hadn’t already known Harry’s secret. The green-eyed teen rolled his eyes at the gaping looks that accompanied the title and yelled.

“JUST GO ALREADY!” The Stupified guardians snapped to attention and obeyed, those who had already figured it out grabbed those who where still frozen and forced them to run for it. Auron was the last to disappear from the tower top, nodding to Harry before he took the stairs three at a time to the lower level. After watching them go Harry shuffled back on the balcony and took a blind step back onto the ledge where he stopped. Seymour, eyes narrowed in rage, sneered.

“And what will you do now, Harry.” He drawled the Summoner’s name darkly. “You can not summon and hold my wife at the same time. Are you so tired of life that you would throw it away to prove your point?” Harry smirked back, allowing himself to feel some triumph while Yuna stopped struggling completely. She was confused… would Harry kill them both? 

“Oh, poor little ghosts.” Harry said mockingly. “You didn’t count the Guardian’s, did you.” There was general confusion on the tower top while Yuna remembered the missing blonde, Tidus. 

But hadn’t he been left back at ‘Home’?

Harry was grinning now as he lifted one finger off the staff. 

“One guardian, do you know what happened to him?” Seymour’s rage had ebbed slightly as he listened, not quite understanding what Harry was talking about. Harry just shook his head and waggled the finger in a farewell gesture before allowing himself to tip back into thin air, pulling Yuna with him. There where more than a few surprised shouts as Seymour rushed to the edge and peered over at the free falling black and white figures, just in time to see a giant golden form sweep around the tower to catch them. The dragon gave a nearly deafening roar as Harry looked back up at the tower and gave into his childish urge to give Seymour the one-fingered salute. An indignant squawk from the slightly winded white clad female beside him told him that the meaning of the gesture hadn’t changed one bit over the thousands of years. Ignoring her and the shocked Maesters behind them, Harry turned his attention to the much calmer Dragon he was laying on and concentrated. 

_‘Tidus?’_ He sent out carefully. In an instant a flood of relief washed over him.

 **‘Harry!’** A roar that made Yuna yelp accompanied his response. 

“What is this thing?” She asked over the wind as Tidus began a looping decent toward the lower city. “Is it some kind of Aeon?” Harry grinned again when he looked over the dragon’s jagged spine to meet wide mismatched eyes. 

“This? An aeon? Hell no! Doesn’t he look familiar?” Yuna tried to think whether or not she’d seen such a creature before only to stare in surprise when she remembered what Harry had said on the tower. 

“Tidus?!” She gasped out. Harry just smiled and mentally asked his guardian to take them down to the palace roof. There was a Fayth here in Bevelle, if what Seymour had mentioned was correct. Instinct told him to find it and he just knew that’s where the other guardians would go first, so why not kill two birds with the same stone on the way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: when the main characters aren't present or can't understand what's being said there's no translations.


	15. A Summoners Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Into the depths of Bevelle

The never-ending warren of corridors stretched into the distance around them as the five men and two women made their way through the dark halls of Bevelle. Even though they where drained and wounded they kept moving, heading to the only likely sanctuary left in the city. Auron had taken the lead, his memory of the temple serving them well as they stepped onto a blue platform. Rikku messed with a control panel attached to it and it lurched slightly as it began and spiraling decent, taking them deeper into the Palace. The Guardians where all lost in their own thoughts, each trying to sort through the startling events that had taken place. 

Harry was the Master Summoner.

Some felt incredibly stupid that they hadn’t noticed it sooner and Rikku had taken the news almost as hard as Wakka had. As an Al Bhed, stories about the Master Summoner weren’t uncommon. There had been many books in Home that dated back to before the time of Zanarkand that had been perfectly preserved by ancient magic. There was even a journal by a magic user named ‘Creevy’ that had chronicled the entire life story of the Master Summoner. Rikku had never actually read it herself but she’d heard things from those who had. But even so, with their new knowledge of the situation, missing pieces of the puzzle that made Harry where finally were falling into place. 

“How come we never saw it?” The small blonde asked absentmindedly as she jogged along side Gatta. Ahead of them Auron couldn’t repress a smirk.

“Harry only told Tidus.” He said. “Others probably assumed we already knew, therefore didn’t bother to tell us.” Rikku didn’t reply. Instead they entered the Cloister of Trials and began to solve puzzles as fast as they could. It was difficult, as the trials consisted of a single sphere powered platform running through a maze of incorporeal walkways, suspended in mid air above a deep circular shaft that appeared to have no bottom. It took the large group two trips and much creative thinking to pass the trials and find the ante-chamber. The Hymn of the Fayth hummed through the air around them and Yuna’s Guardians nearly cried in relief when they saw their Summoner sitting on a ledge of masonry to one side of the chamber. 

Yuna looked up as they entered the room, her hand straying to her discarded staff before she realized whom she was seeing. 

“Lulu! Wakka! Kimahri!” She named them in a faintly weary tone but stood up nonetheless as Lulu reached out to hug her. Before the three could really fuss over her though Auron stepped between them and the door to the Chamber of the Fayth.

“Where is Harry?” He asked shortly. “Is he with the Fayth?” Yuna looked over at the door and nodded. 

“He went in there after I came out…” She answered, suddenly very quiet. “He took Tidus in there with him.” Wakka let out a gasp.

“But no one that isn’t a Summoner can go in dere’.” Wakka looked frantically at the closed door. “It’s Taboo, ya?” O'aka, Rikku and Gatta stood off to one side, looking at the door also. Auron walked right up to it and closed his eyes behind his glasses before he opened them again and stepped away. 

“Normal rules don’t really seem to apply where Harry and Tidus are concerned.” The red clad man’s voice held a hint of humor as he spoke of the pair. Rolling his eyes and muttering O'aka went to sit against a wall with Gatta and settled in to wait for their Summoner to emerge.

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

Tidus felt decidedly odd standing off to one side of the chamber of the Fayth as Harry knelt in front of the large amber coloured glowing stone in the ground. Within it was a skeletal kind of form, preserved in the stone. The Master Summoner had explained that it contained the real power of the Fayth. It was old gray magic that acted to keep the Soul of the Fayth on the mortal plain. When a Summoner prayed to the Fayth they asked for the Fayth’s help and if they saw fit to grant their power they would form a bond with the Summoner, thus giving them the ability to call on their Aeons in times of need. The best description of the relationship between Summoner and Fayth would be a temporary alliance that could be withdrawn when the Summoner died or someone else was using the Aeon. 

In any case, the fayth that now appeared above the stone looked familiar. It had taken him a while to figure it out but now he recognized the specter that floated in the shape of a young boy. It was him… the same kid he’d seen in Zanarkand not so long ago. He’d been on the dock with the fans but at the time Tidus hadn’t paid him that much attention. He’d been to caught up with Harry and the other kids. Then he’d glimpsed him on the bridge amid the screaming crowds when Sin had attacked and again in his brief period of unconsciousness during Operation Mi’Ihen. The boy that had been haunting him since the whole debacle had begun was now hovering before him, singing in a powerful tone while he and Harry communicated. 

The blonde had to shake his head to clear it of the muddle of thoughts that fought for his attention. It was just to much, especially since he was still reeling from his earlier transformation. He hadn’t even realized he’d become a dragon at first. In his anger he’d been to distracted by thoughts of ripping Seymour and any other enemy in the vicinity to pieces to care what his body felt like. Everything had just clicked when he entered the berserker rage and he’d given no thought to it at all. 

He still had a few hazy images swimming around his head over what happened between the airship and catching Harry. The memory of shredding Evrae was especially clear. The other sorry excuse for a dragon had been an obstacle, one that had been standing between him and his mate, and…

Tidus stopped dead at that thought. Mate? 

Suddenly, reality decided to re assert itself and everything he’d subconsciously pushed aside rushed back to fill the gaps as someone shrieked outside. In that moment Harry finished speaking with the Fayth and fell forward in a dead faint but Tidus managed to catch him before he hit his head on the floor. Sweeping him up Tidus made for the door and heard Rikku yelling. 

“WAIT! DON'T COME OUT!” But the warning came a moment to late. The door slid up into the wall and Tidus came face to face with numerous rifles. Soldier monk’s stood in a semi-circle in front of the exit lead by none other than Maester Kinoc. Rikku groaned helplessly when she saw them standing in the doorway. Yuna, her Guardians and the other members of their party where all standing off to one side, as helpless as they where as Kinoc trained his rifle on Harry.

“And here’s the last of them.” He said snidely and Tidus felt a growl in the back of his throat. “You are all to stand trial.” Kinoc informed them. From his place in front of the Guardians Auron spoke up. 

“I expect it will be a…fair trial.” He still sounded vaguely amused, he already knew what was happening even if the others didn’t. After all, things never really changed in Bevelle… Kinoc was laughing jovially at Auron’s insinuation, but to those present it was obvious the smile didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Of course it will.” Then he waved a hand lazily toward the guards who advanced on the group.

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

“The High Court of Yevon is now in session!” 

Yet another hulking Ronso stood over them proudly as he looked over the two floating platforms below. One bore Yuna who was once again dressed in her normal outfit. A white top, a bluish purple skirt with silver stars scattered along the hem and a wide yellow obi patterned with flowers that held it all in place around her waist. She was gripping her staff nervously as the Ronso Maester spoke.

“The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but absolute truth, in Yevon’s name. To those on trial: Believe in Yevon, and speak only truth.”

On the other floating platform Harry was equally as nervous but it was hidden for the most part behind his pale and ragged looks. He hadn’t been doing as well as Yuna, no one had allowed him to get cleaned up before they’d brought them here so with his normal supply of magic wanning and nothing to replenish it he hadn’t even been able to spell his robes clean let alone repair them. Unable to help him at the moment Tidus was tense, but a more rational side of his mind that sounded a lot like Auron was telling him that it could have been worse, much worse.

The other three Maester’s of Yevon where standing at various points in the room. Seymour was on a balcony to the left of the main balcony, closer to Yuna’s floating platform while opposite him was Kinoc. The portly man was still loosely gripping a rifle below the railing. Maester Mika stood behind and to the right of Maester Kelk Ronso and was watching the proceedings with what could have been distain. 

“Summoner Yuna!” Kelk intoned, bringing all eyes to the female Summoner. “You have sworn to protect the people of Yevon, true?” 

“Yes.” Her tone was surprisingly strong given her timid appearance. 

“Then, consider: You have inflicted dire injury upon Maester Seymour Guado… and conspired with the Al Bhed and joined their insurrection. These are traitorus and unforgivable crimes that disturb the order of Yevon. Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such violence.” Yuna had been wilting under the attention as Kelk listed her apparent crimes.

“Your Grace…” She began but a voice from the side cut her off.

“Your Grace…” Harry drawled mockingly, his voice overpowering Yuna’s. “I doubt the girl could tell you half of what seems to have been going on under your nose.” Everyone stared at him in surprise, including Yuna who went pink in the face at being referred to as the ‘girl’. Kelk rounded on Harry looking infuriated. 

“SILENCE!” He roared. “You have no voice in this court imposter! You claim you are the Master Summoner but he died thousands upon thousands of years ago. Not only that but you don’t appear on any records made in regards to the Summoners, nor do you even seem to exist!” Harry sat through the rant, his face was blank but his eyes where blazing with green fire once more. 

“My claim is true.” He said darkly the moment Kelk stopped speaking. “Has all true understanding of magic really been lost? It’s possible for someone to fall through time but that is not what I mean to discuss. Your fellow Maester’s are acting like common brutes! Not only that but at least one of them are already dead! Are you so blinded by this ‘Yevon’ that you didn’t even notice that?” If the Ronso was surprised he didn’t show it. He met Harry’s burning gaze and refused to back down. Yuna took advantage of the battle of wills going on around her and bravely spoke up once more, appealing to Maester Mika. 

“Please, you must listen. Seymour has already killed his father, Maester Jyscal, with his own hands. He’s the real traitor to Yevon and must be sent onto the Farplane! Please, send him now!” Even while she was speaking Kelk and Harry had stopped glaring at each other and turned their gazes between Seymour and Yuna.

“WHAT!?” Kelk roared, sufficiently conveying his surprise. He glared across the balcony at Seymour who raised an eyebrow, smirking in amusement. 

“Hmmm? Hadn’t you heard?” His unconcerned tone was mocking. While the Ronso was stuck for words Harry pulled his tired body further upright and looked up at the assembled Maester’s. 

“I am not liking this.” He muttered in a severe tone. “No wonder the world is in the state it is. Seymour is a budding Voldemort, Kinoc is as incompetent as Fudge, and the only decent creature among you is completely in the dark!” Down on the ground, among the guardians, Tidus suddenly snorted. The sound was explosive in the oppressive silence that had descended upon the great hall. People turned to stare at him as he covered his mouth in hopes of muffling the laughter that was fighting its way out. Having known Harry and his secret longer than anyone present, he’d also learned more about Harry’s past. The other teen had occasionally told him stories of the war that had made him into a Summoner and the people involved, leaving him as the only other person to understand the blatant joke. 

While Tidus was getting his laughter under control Lulu decided to speak up on Yuna’s behalf.

“It’s a Summoner’s sacred duty to send the souls of the departed to the Farplane!” She took a restless step closer to the gaping hole in the floor that the Summoners floated above. “Yuna was only doing her job as a Summoner when she confronted Seymour.” Seeing someone was supporting her views Yuna looked back at Maester Mika and repeated her previous words.

“Grand Maester Mika! Please send Seymour now!” Kelk had calmed somewhat respectfully as the Grand Maester moved forward.

“Send the unsent to where they belong?” He said pensively. 

“Yes!” Yuna confirmed what she was saying eagerly. 

Mika chuckled.

Yuna frowned as the wheezing sound of the Maesters laugh reached her.

“Maester?” 

“Send the dead… hmm?” Even as he spoke his form began to loose the appearance of being solid and a scattering of Pyreflies rose spinning into the air around him. “You would have to send me too.”

“What?” Came Wakka’s gasp of shock below. 

“Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader.” Kelk announced, proving he really had known all along. “Even in death, he is invaluable to Spira.” Kinoc laughed and spoke up for the first time since the hearing had begun. 

“Enlightened rule by the dead is preferable to the misguided failures of the living.” 

“Life is but a passing dream,” Seymour picked up the thread where Kinoc trailed off. “But the death that follows is eternal.” 

“Men die.” Mika took over. “Beasts die. Trees die. Even continents perish. Only the power of death truly commands in Spira. Resisting its power is futile.” On his platform Harry scoffed. 

“You really believe that don’t you.” It wasn’t a question. The green-eyed Summoner shook his head, marveling over how stupid people seemed to get as they evolved. If someone had told him that idiots would rule the world thousands of years into the future he would have laughed, but the proof was right in front of him. 

He had to repress the urge to start cursing everything in sight. 

“But what is Sin?” Yuna burst out loudly. “I am a Summoner, my lord, like my father before me! I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings. Are you… are you telling me that, too, is futile?” And there it was. The big crux in the reasoning between two sides, the existence of Sin and the Summoners quest to destroy him. “Grand Maester Mika, am I not alone. All the people who have opposed Sin… Their battles, their sacrifices – were they all in vain!” Mika’s squinting eyes stared down at her. 

“Not in vain,” he replied. “No metter how many Summoners give their lives, Sin cannot be truly defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped. Yet the courage of those who fight gives the people hope. There is nothing futile in the life and death of a Summoner.” Harry was glaring at the man again. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off from below. 

“Never futile…” Auron intoned, looking up at the pair. “But never ending.” The harsh words sounded damning to Tidus. Mika, however, just nodded along to the former monk’s conclusion. 

“Indeed, that is the essence of Yevon.” 

“Lord Mika!” Yuna yelled, scandalized.

“Yevon is embodied by eternal, unchanging continuity, Summoner.” 

“No…” Yuna was crying now. The very beliefs she’d been holding on to all her life where being stripped away before her eyes. “That can’t be right.” 

“Those who question these truths – they are the traitors!” 

“Lord Mika!” Yuna cried out desperately as the guards hit the control panel for the floating craft she was on. Harry didn’t say a word as he felt gravity tugging beneath his feet but in his mind he was coming to the conclusion that he’d go after Sin merely to prove the Maester’s wrong. As he was marched past Tidus a silent and invisible mental probe reached out and latched on to his mind, assuring him he wasn’t alone as the guardians where dragged in a different direction. 

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

Harry sat in his cell, staring fixedly at the back of his guard’s head as he listened to his surroundings. Yuna was in the next cell over, muttering to herself about the current predicament with a few stray sobs punctuating every couple of sentences. A handful of soldier monks where arguing softly over to one side of the room and Tidus’s thoughts where sitting darkly in the back of his mind where the blonde was agitatedly cursing the world at large. Harry didn’t take his eyes of the back of the monk’s head as he sent a wave of neutral feelings back along the link, causing the heavily dragon influenced Tidus to calm down somewhat. 

_‘It’ll be alright.’_ He thought, more to himself than anyone else. _‘We’ll get out of here just fine, after all, as Auron would say, our story isn’t over yet.’_ Tidus’s mental snort was all the response he got before the Guardian settled down completely. Harry let out a faint sigh and looked toward the far side of the room. There was a dark gate set into the wall that looked menacing in the low light of torches around it. Harry got to his feet and carefully stowed his staff in the back of his robes again before walking to the bars and draping himself through them. 

“What’s that?” He asked and the Guard jumped. 

“That’s where we send traitors.” He said a moment later when he’d recovered from the mild shock. “Once someone goes into the Via Purifico, they never come out.” 

“Hmmmm…” Harry tried to peer into the darkness beyond but was disappointed when the corridor turned a corner and twisted out of his sight. Even so, while he had his forehead to the bars he could see Yuna sitting right next to the entry of her cell on the corner wall. Feeling some pity for the girl who had tried at least once to either apprehend or kill him he made a gesture with his hands that caused her to look up at him. Her eyes weren’t as red as they had been earlier so Harry guessed she was beginning to come to terms with things… well that or she wore herself out.

“It’s no use crying over it.” He said and almost mentally whinced at his words as she cringed. The key word being ‘Almost’. 

“Why aren’t you reacting the same way.” She retorted, fiercely swiping at her tears. “They… You said you where the Master Summoner!” Harry bit his lip in a less then successful attempt to hold back his own mocking comment. 

“Yevon didn’t even exist when I fought the Dark Lord.” That took the wind out of Yuna’s sails faster than she’d worked them up. 

“Yevon… didn’t… exist?” She echoed the alien concept in a stunned voice. Harry mentally rolled his eyes, but nodded nonetheless. He sat down on the floor again, keeping Yuna in sight at the same time. It seemed there was no time like the present for a quick history lesson. After all it wasn’t like they where going anywhere. 

“That’s right, back when I was younger, people with magic and people without magic where segregated by laws created by the magical governments. Religion wasn’t an issue back then. The wizards only ever held one person in that kind of image, but, they knew he wasn’t a god. Merlin, he was the first Summoner, I think… I’m not all that sure.” Yuna was thunderstruck by his mumblings and by the looks of it, so where the guards. Harry gave a mental snicker and ploughed on. 

“Anyway, what I do know it that when he ‘died’ he became one of the Fayth. Since no one else could Summon the way he did, he decided to create a way for other Summoners to follow in his footsteps. Four students of his did the same and a few others but no more than nine really… or was it ten… anyway, after their time the art of Summoning was nearly completely lost and the Muggles, people with no magic, grew into greater numbers, so the magic users, fiends and creatures all went into hiding. Like I said, they drew up their own laws and lived out of sight. In fact, I think that my pilgrimage was what caused the worlds to start mixing again…” He trailed off with another pensive look as he began going over facts in his mind. “After that though, I don’t have the foggiest idea what happened. The magic took me from Hogwarts around the time I turned seventeen…” 

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

Tidus wasn’t in a real happy mood. 

Auron watched as the dragon animagus paced their shared cell. It was circular, about three meters in diameter and was surrounded by unbreakable metal bars that where resistant to magic. Looking beyond the bars you could see others like it suspended at different intervals around the large shaft. Like the main hall they’d been in for the trial it had no floor. Instead, thin walkways stretched out over the abyss to allow access to the cells. The way they where placed also meant that the prisoner could only see onto any cage that was accessed by the same walkway but never anything else, it worked to make the prisoners feel even more helpless then they had to begin with. However, in this case the yelling and screaming on Oa’ka’s part thwarted that effect. The wily ex-merchant was complaining to the top of his lungs about being separated from the others and stuck in a cell with a ‘Red haired, back island, Yevon loving hick’. His words where proof that he was spending to much time with Rikku and Harry. 

“GET ME OUTTA HERE! I DON’T WANT TO BE IN HERE WITH HIM!” O'aka wailed at the top of his lungs. Auron sighed in exasperation at the antics of his fellow guardian and leaned off the bars so he could look over his shoulder in the direction of the black mage’s tantrum. 

“Don’t waste your breath O'aka.” He ordered shortly, his voice carrying down in spite of his low tone. “We’ll probably need him to get out.” O'aka shut up as he’d been told and an eerie silence settled down amid the cages. Tidus, who had stopped pacing while Auron had been talking finally kicked the bars once and slumped down to the floor. 

_‘It’ll be alright.’_ Harry’s voice whispered in his mind distantly. _‘We’ll get out of here just fine, after all, as Auron would say, our story isn’t over yet.’_ Tidus promptly began to snicker, shooting a look over at the monk still leaning against the bars. Auron raised an eyebrow in response but didn’t ask. It had been a few hours since they’d been put there when footsteps finally sounded on the platforms. Tidus jumped to his feet, eyes flashing when he saw who was standing patiently outside their cell. Kinoc was alone and unguarded as he unlocked the door and stood to the side.

“Come out.” He ordered. “Your sentence has been decided.” 

“Sentence?” Auron nearly snorted in amusement. “Don’t you mean execution?” Kinoc gave him another of the cold smiles that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Really now, what person would execute a dear friend?” Auron gave him a deadpan look. 

“You would.” 

Kinoc just laughed as guards finally came to take them away. 

Not long after they found themselves separated, Auron being taken in one direction while he was herded a different way. He heard a splash ahead of him and when he reached the end of the hall he found a room half taken up by water. A guard prodded him in the back to get him moving again as the guard standing on the edge of the platform stepped back. 

“Look’s like your next.” The guard poking him said far to cheerfully. 

“Next for wha-?” Tidus tried to ask but was cut off by an abrupt shove into the water below. Getting his bearings quickly his head burst out of the water allowing him to glare up at the guards. 

“Where’s everybody else?” He demanded harshly but the guard didn’t seem too concerned with the silent threat. 

“Floating down there somewhere.” He said flippantly, gesturing to the water. That said the guards turned around and left the room, a big steal door slamming down behind them and sealing Tidus in. The blonde, however, wasn’t concerned about the door. He was more concerned with who was down underneath, so with a deep breath he twisted and dove under the water with skill born of years playing Blitzball. The water wasn’t moving so there was no tide or flow to create currents he could move on. Kicking his legs he shot toward a gap in one wall and peered inside. His vision sharpened when he noticed a few figures floating in the small area above him. Sliding through the gap he entered the large tunnel and floated up to join them. 

“Tiddles!” 

He heard Rikku’s exuberant shout before he saw her. Blinking to get rid of excess water Tidus tossed his head slightly to get a few spiky strands of hair out of his face before he looked around. 

He was floating in a small indentation in the roof that still had some air and three more people occupied it… Wakka, Rikku and…

“Harry!” Swam over to the Summoner, resisting his sudden urge to growl out loud as he reached out to him. The other teen wore a mixed expression. A part of him looked relieved but tension was clouding his features as he tread water to keep afloat. The blonde grabbed him and felt out a narrow ledge on the wall beside him, effectively holding them both above the water. Harry sagged slightly and fumbled for his staff. Once he was secure Tidus looked at Rikku and Wakka. 

“Are any of the other’s down here?” Rikku swam a little closer. 

“No, they split us up before they threw us in the pond.” She shrugged dismissively. “I don’t know where they are.” 

“They’re in the other area.” Harry spoke up. “The guard called this place the Via Purifico when I asked one earlier. They have two entries, one on dry land and the other…” He jerked his head in the vague direction of the platform they’d been tossed off. 

“Since no one else has been dragged down here I think it’s safe to say they are in the other section.” The males all looked grim while Rikku was thinking hard. 

“Hey! If everyone else is out there, how come you’re in here ‘Ry?” Tidus looked at Harry, he wanted to know that too. Both Wakka and Rikku could swim but Harry wasn’t blitzer or Al Bhed material in the least. The Summoner just shook his head. 

“They wanted to split up the Summoners.” He explained softly. “They didn’t want us to work together and find a way out of here, so that asshole Seymour had me thrown in here.” That made Tidus growl again. 

“That guy is REALLY beginning to piss me OFF!” He had to move his hand when the stone he was holding onto cracked under the pressure. Harry just shook his head again and turned slightly in his grip to look him in the eye. 

“Don’t let him get to you to badly… men as dark as Seymour will always get their just deserts in the end. Voldemort did.” Tidus reigned himself in. He was supposed to be in better control of his temper now. 

“… so just how are you planning to get out of here?” He asked, looking at Harry. “Last time I checked you couldn’t hold you breath to long.” Harry grinned for the first time since Tidus arrived. 

“What kind of wizard would I be if I didn’t know a thing or two about breathing underwater?” His words brought up memories of the second task of the triwizard tournament. He didn’t have any gilly weed lying around, and he didn’t have an Animagus form or even a partial one, but what he did have was the bubblehead charm. He’d learned it after the second task so that he’d always have something to use if he ever fell into a similar situation again. It took a few minutes to get the spell to work, given he was floating in the water and using an unwieldy staff, but he got it in the end. A clear orb of swirling air surrounded his head and green eyes turned to look at everyone else. 

“Lets go.” With that they sank under the surface and swam down into the submerged tunnel to more exposed areas. There where no other tunnels branching off the one they where in, but that made them all the more apprehensive about their surroundings. Finally the tunnel opened out into a giant circular tube that ran right to the surface only to stop short just before a giant gate that had too smaller gaps to squeeze through. But at the same level they’d emerged from was a smaller gate that looked easy enough to open. Tidus dragged Harry through the water toward the entrance, Rikku and Wakka in tow, they where studying the locks when Harry tugged on Tidus’s sleeve. Tidus looked around.

‘What’s wrong… … …?!’ His eyes widened as he finally registered the giant swarm of pyre flies floating down the tube above them. They whirled through the water and began to take on a shape that Tidus recognized.

It was Evrae, the guardian wyrm was back from the dead.

‘Shit!’ He cursed to himself as he signaled for the other two to get out their weapons. He instinctively felt over his shoulder for his sword but when he grasped nothing he cursed again. Throwing his mind back, the last time he remembered seeing his fathers sword was when he’d leaned it against the wall in Home, moments before the transformation had begun. He hadn’t been in any condition to remember it when they’d tried to escape during the attack. 

Then a feeling rose in the back of his head. Evrae was supposed to be dead and everything was screaming at him to kill it again. He quickly passed Harry’s hand to Rikku’s and when she gave him a confused look he used old Blitzball signs to give her instructions. 

‘Take Harry,’ Tidus pointed to the Summoner and then made an ‘away’ gesture. 

‘Attack the locks.’ He made a sign for attack or score before jabbing sharply at the gate, and they finally figured out what he was telling them. They did as they where told and Wakka didn’t so much as make a face as he grabbed Harry’s other arm, propelling them faster. Once they where around the corner and out of sight Tidus span back to look at where Evrae had finally finished putting itself back together. 

The dead Dragon leered down at him with a gurgling growl that reverberated through the water as Tidus closed his eyes in concentration. 

‘Now… lets see if I can do this again…’ For what felt like forever he searched his mind, reaching into its depths and grabing hold of the golden form that waited there, eagerly anticipating another chance to fight. 

Bright blue eyes snapped open after a few seconds, glowing with power as the change took pace at lightning speed, leaving little to no pain in its wake. Tidus couldn’t help but marvel at his new body and the feel of it now that he was actually aware of himself. He looked across at Evrae who suddenly wasn’t looking as eager for payback as the Dragon that had killed it manifested in front of him in the cramped tube, totally unaffected by the water surrounding them. It pushed itself away when Tidus bared his fangs in the parody of a grin and leapt through the water, his every move spelling its second death. 

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

Tidus swam lazily through the wide tunnels, his long tail acting as a rudder as he navigated the maze, easily following the small disturbances made by Wakka, Rikku and Harry as they swam ahead. He was enjoying himself immensely by the time he caught up with his three companions. Rikku and Wakka turned fearfully when they heard him moving through the water behind them but Harry shirked their grip and let Tidus snatch him up as he swam past. Almost as an after thought his other gold claw lashed out and scooped up the other two. 

_‘Having fun?’_ Harry asked, his face a little blurred from the air spell glittering around his head. Tidus nodded his head in the water, making his body dip slightly before he pulled himself back on course. 

_‘It feels better than before, doesn’t it.’_ Once again, he nodded, earning himself a smack on the back of his claw from Rikku. He swam on, occasionally passing through more deep tubes before they came to a dead end, although, it wasn’t really a dead end. An ornate looking gate was embedded in the wall directly in front of them with gaps large enough for a human to pass through, so naturally, this meant Tidus had to change back to get through. Harry was laughing at his reluctance to return to normal.

_‘Come on Tidus! You can turn back when we get outside! You can really stretch your wings then.’_ The dragon gave the Summoner an almost baleful look before he began to shrink and nearly yelled in shock when he appeared with a pop in the middle of a bubble of nothing, made by the sudden removal of his draconian form. Then it all came crashing down on him, tossing him around before he got his bearings back. His face went red as he made his way over to the others and began to push them through the gate, ignoring their amused looks in favor of getting out. 

_‘Lets just go.’_ He grouched, grabbing Harry’s hand and swimming for the light, Wakka and Rikku struggling along behind.


	16. "It's been Swell"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's been swell, but the swelling's gone down."  
> A step to the side as they leave Bevelle.

“How fares the Ronso Maester?” Maester Mika asked in his wheezing voice from his place on the central balcony of the courtroom. Kinoc, Seymour and a few guards had gathered around him in the hours since the Summoners and their guardian’s had been walked into the Via Purifico and left to the fiends. 

“It seems my father’s murder troubles him.” Seymour answered with an arrogant smirk. Mika laughed.

“Ever the Ronso. Hard-headed, hardly useful.” There was quiet scattered laughter before Seymour returned his dark blue gaze to Mika. 

“However…” He began reigning in the attention of the others. “The Summoner Yuna, daughter to the High Summoner Braska… She may be of some use to us alive.” The eldest Maester gave him a critical look before turning to face the rest of the court room. 

“She has disturbed the order of Yevon. She can not be allowed to live.” He said steadfastly his tone leaving no room for argument. 

“I understand.” He was frowning at Mika’s back almost sullenly. 

“Let it go Seymour.” Maester Kinoc added his two gill to the conversation. “No one thrown in to the Via Purifico has ever survived.” 

“Hmmmm….” Mika made a thoughtful sound as he let his eyes wonder down to the elevated platform that was hovering just by the edge of the balcony. “Yet there is always a small chance that they might.” He turned around to face Kinoc. “Place guards at the exit. Kill any who emerge.”

“Sir, please allow me to do that.” Seymour interjected with a hurried bow. Mika raised an eyebrow. 

“First you father and now your bride?” Seymour had to fight to keep his smirk off his face. 

“Allow me to do this _because_ she is my bride.” 

“Wait.” Kinoc pushed his way back into the conversation. “I will go, too.” Seymour gave him a look before he tilted his head back and laughed. 

“You do not trust me?” Kinoc kept up his jolly act. 

“Would you trust a man who murdered his father?” Seymour was momentarily taken aback by the comment but acknowledged that he had left himself open for that retort. 

“Very well. As you wish.” He answered neutrally and made his way to the door at the back of the balcony, Kinoc only a few steps behind. 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

Yuna was glad for once that no one else was around as she peered into the darkness of the Via Purifico. Her expression was a mix of confusion and terror as the reality of her situation sank in. Summoner Harry hadn’t really helped either. His stories where swirling around in her mind and when coupled with her growing doubts it made her begin to really think about her blind faith in Yevon. Was it worth following the Maester’s? Was it worth following Yevon? Harry had said after all that there was no such thing as Yevon until well after his time. Part of her was screaming, demanding she go back to Maester Mika and beg for Yevon’s forgiveness but another voice whispered rebelliously in the back of her mind. Telling her to believe Harry and forget all about Yevon. Resisting the urge to scream out her frustrations she looked around her general area. 

It was cold, dark and damp with only a few scattered and half burnt out torches lighting the way into the depths of the fiend pit. A cold thread of fear wove it’s way into her mind as she wondered into a tunnel off to one side. It was darker down here than by the entrance so when she heard the shuffle of something large ahead her startled jump was justified. Yuna leveled her staff before her chest, ready to Summon at a moments notice when the shuffling turned into footsteps then bickering as two arguing people approached from the other end. She blinked when she saw the bobbing light appear and squinted in the sudden brightness to see what looked to be two males. 

“Oh!” The first one said when he stopped arguing long enough to notice her. “It’s you.” Yuna blinked again as the second man spoke up.

“Lady Yuna?” Her eyes began adjusting to the light and Yuna realized who was in front of her, both being Summoner Harry’s Guardian’s. O'aka, the first to have spoken looked a little put off as he moved the end of his staff from out of her face, letting her see that his companion had been Gatta. 

“Have you seen Harry or Tidus?” Where the first words out of his mouth as he broke the awkward pause. Yuna shook her head mutely, wondering if they would help her get out. O'aka trailed off with a few curses as he looked up and down the hall before he grabbed Yuna’s arm with his free hand and began to drag her down the hall, calling over to Gatta as he went. 

“Lets go!” He declared. “I got a baaaaad feeling ‘bout this!” Thus Yuna was reduced to being dragged along by the pair while her warring thoughts fought for space in her head. She didn’t come around again until they entered another corridor. This one looked as though it had been caved in, but rubble wasn’t all it held. 

“Lulu!” the female Summoner gasped out, tugging her arm from O'aka’s grasp and racing over to the black mage. The red-eyed woman had a light sheen of sweat over the skin of her shoulders, face and neck and the pockets of pyreflies, floating through the rubble told the three new comers that she had been fighting something before they arrived. Still the black mage looked somewhat relieved to see them. “Lulu! I’m so sorry I brought you into this…” Yuna trailed off as the older woman shushed her

“Yuna, it’s alright. We as guardian’s accepted this the day we swore to guard you.” The black mage’s words where both reprimanding and comforting. “We will support you in any decision you make, even if we must rebel against Yevon.” There was a faint bitter undertone to her voice but Yuna didn’t hear it as she sagged with relief. Just knowing that her guardians wouldn’t hate her was all she needed to hear as she drew herself up once more, far more focused than she had been previously. 

“Alright!” The female Summoner addressed those present confidently. “Lets go and find the others!” Lulu’s lips twitched as the girl took the lead and lead them out of the corridor. Trailing behind with his light O'aka rolled his eyes and leaned over slightly to speak with Gatta.

“I thought that’s what we where doing.” The younger Islander of Besaid blinked almost stupidly before he laughed. 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

When they emerged from the dark catacombs into the bright lights of the nighttime city of Bevelle they had to shield their eyes. Even though it was supposed to be dark the palace that loomed above them pushed it away, clearly saying the night wasn’t welcome. Still, the cool air quickly became uncomfortable when you where wearing sopping wet robes. They where panting slightly by the time they dragged themselves out of the deep shaft that ran under the main entrance and gratefully collapsed on solid ground. Wakka looked about two steps from kissing the stone in front of his face. 

“Phew! I’m glad we’re outta there!” Rikku chirped, slumping bonelessly to the ground and flopping on her back. Tidus, who had done better than the others, just shook himself off like a dog to get rid of any excess water and took a seat to Harry’s right. 

“We’re… _pant_ … not safe yet.” He was right of course. They where tired and breathless sitting on the High bridge, the entry to Bevelle that was swarming with hundreds of soldier monks, all ready to rush out and get them at the Maester’s command. After a minute or so Harry sat up properly and held out his staff, willing their clothes to dry out and repair themselves and a muttered incantation later they where no longer sticking to their skin. Rikku breathed a sigh of relief, but that relief was short lived as a scuffle sounded from across the deserted roadway. 

They were on their feet in a flash and ready to fight before they registered the identities of the people emerging from another tunnel like the one they’d pulled themselves from just minutes before. 

“Gatta!” Rikku gave a soft squeal and dashed to the boy as he appeared, followed by Oa'ka and Auron. She’d engulfed him in a hug that would have made Mrs Weasley proud when a furry blue Ronso appeared, helping Lulu and Yuna as they emerged behind him. Wakka raced to them, talking as loudly as he dared while Auron took up a place on Harry’s left. 

“Did you have any trouble reaching the surface?” He asked, his low voice directed at Harry.

“No.” The Summoner said simply, but Tidus glared up at the gates of Bevelle. 

“They threw him with us into the submerged part of the Via Purifico.” He said, the urge to kill something rising. “If it wasn’t for that spell he wouldn’t have made it.” Auron raised an eyebrow at the blonde in a slightly condescending ‘Down boy’ kind of look. 

Tidus, of course, ignored him. 

O'aka was looking around them shiftily as their voices died down and suddenly decided he didn’t like standing out here anymore. Being a Guardian was making him paranoid. 

“Shouldn’t we be going now?” He asked, turning to Harry as well. Everyone else turned to look at the ex-merchant.

“He’s right.” Auron confirmed. “They’ll send someone else to make sure we don’t escape.” Harry looked at him sharply. 

“Someone else?” He asked and Yuna stepped into the conversation, a small frown on her face. 

“Yes, Summoner Issaru confronted me while we where in the Via Purrifico.” She explained simply and those who hadn’t seen her fight with him got the feeling she wasn’t telling them something. Harry just ignored the feeling and waved them on with his hand. 

“Lets go.” He turned to leave but was suddenly halted at a familiar group blocking their way across the bridge and keeping them from their freedom. 

“Seymour.” Tidus growled, eyes flashing. 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

The blue haired Guado couldn’t keep the smirk off his face as he looked at their stunned faces. To his right a soldier monk was holding Maester Kinoc by the back of his over sized yellow and gold robes. His head was bowed and to anyone looking he might have just been staring at his feet. But Seymour knew better. He gestured to the Monk to drop him and the already dead man obeyed, dropping Kinoc’s body like a sack of potato’s, never to rise again. 

“Kinoc!” Auron took a step forward, his voice actually betraying faint traces of grief. Tidus starred at the body as Rikku gave a horrified shout before looking at Seymour. 

“More death!” He scowled violently, his body tensing. 

“I have saved him.” Seymour said calmly under the blonde’s glare. “He was a man who craved power. And great power he had, but he feared loosing it. Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never knowing rest. You see… Now he has no worries. He has been granted sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away… Ah, yes.” He wasn’t looking at them anymore. His eyes where unfocused and staring into the distance, watching a sight only he could see. “So you see… if all life where to end in Spira, all suffering would end. Don’t you see? Do you not agree? That, Yuna, is why I need you.” Dark blue eyes settled on the female Summoner who stood a few feet away from Harry and a couple more behind. 

“Lady Yuna, come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Spira, and for this… I will take from you your strength, Yuna, your life, and become the next Sin. I will destroy Spira! I will save it!” His eye’s held a manic gleam now. 

“You’ve got to be totally of your rocker!” O'aka blurted as both Kimahri and Tidus made the short dash to Seymour. Tidus didn’t have to will a transformation as his hand twisted into a gold claw that raked the Guado’s bared chest. His attack was followed up by Kimahri who planted his spear into his flesh, just below the heart and pinning him in place. Seymour looked down at the blade dispassionately before the Soldiers and the body of Kinoc exploded into pyreflies that swirled their way into Seymour. 

“How unpleasant.” He said as he waved the staff and Kimahri was flung back violently. The Guardians and Summoners scattered to the sides as the Ronso flew past. Looking back they noticed something was off when the wound began to heal up automatically with no blood flowing from it. Harry was stunned to have recognized the banishing spell for what it was. Having learned it himself in fourth year.

“I’ve learned new spells since the last time we spoke.” Seymour was practically purring as he looked over the rag tag group. “I believe you are familiar with this one, Master Summoner.” Harry stiffened as he rapidly thought over all the possibilities. There where thousands of spells Seymour could have easily learned in a day or so. The blue haired Maester sent him a positively evil smirk and swiped his staff in Harry’s direction. 

“CRUCIO!” Harry’s green eyes widened when he realized he had no time to get out of the path of the spell and reacted by closing his eyes… only to open them again when all he felt was a tingle splashing across his chest and fading. He stared numbly down at the front of his robes before he looked up to see Seymour looking at his staff in confusion. 

“Why…? Why did it not work?” He asked weakly before Harry began to laugh. It sounded like a mix of relief and pure amusement as he leaned on O'aka. In the few moments it took for him to calm down the guardians had moved into position and Harry finally shook off his laughter. 

“Here’s a little theory lesson.” He said, eyes narrowed playfully as he boldly stepped forward and set the Guado Maester that had just killed Kinoc with a dark look. “The Crutacious curse will only work if the caster has the force of will to make the effect happen. You however are a weak minded fool with no idea of the powers you’re trying to wield.” Harry stopped when a previously ignored figure stepped into his view. “Which is good because it makes it easier to do this.” Seymour went on guard when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He span back around to find Tidus in his face wearing an evil grin as he drew back his fist and let fly with a spectacular right hook, catching Seymour across the face. 

And so the fight began.

Seymour backed up a good distance away from the group and Pyreflies appeared around him once more. His pallor turned sickly white while his hair and features took on a metallic appearance. The Guado’s eyes went entirely black while his hair stiffened out into a twisted kind of ornate halo. A parasitic creature then crawled over his shoulder and in a slight turn they could see as it drew back its scorpion like tail and stabbed it into the back of his neck, drawing off his power. 

Kimahri dragged himself up and got into a ready stance.

“Take Yuna! Go!” He yelled to her guardians and they bundled her off as fast as they could. Auron turned to make Harry do the same but was halted when he found the Summoner glaring at Seymour defiantly. 

“You do not deserve the wizards power!” He all but yelled as he gripped his staff and stormed past the much older man, Tidus on his heels. A flaming corona of magic was swirling around him, making his green eyes glow brighter. He didn’t even break his stride as he circled off slightly and hurled a bright red spell at the transformed Guado. 

“REDUCTO!” The spell collided with Seymour’s chest and blew out a crater in his flesh and ribs. He went curling over in mid air, a hand going briefly to his chest before the parasite crawled over his shoulder and covered the wound. When it moved back to its original position a few seconds later the injury had been completely healed. Harry didn’t appear to show any surprise at the regenerative display and backed off to the second row so to speak as the other guardians took the fore. Seymour looked down at them blankly.

“I will kill you all.” His voice was frighteningly empty as he raised a hand and cast an elemental spell at Rikku. The fifteen-year-old Al Bhed took the Blizzara head on and was thrown back before a second spell was directed at O'aka. Harry only just managed to get a Reflect spell on the Black mage in time. The spell was sent back at its caster and Seymour stumbled before the parasite fixed the damage. Blue eyes narrowed as Tidus clenched his fists and snatched up the feeling of his transformation. 

“Kill that damn bug!” He yelled out right before he transformed and spewed out a gout of blue and white flames. The attack hadn’t been localized on Seymour this time and both cringed under the searing flames. Unable to move properly in the now much smaller bridge Tidus sent one more fireball hurtling in the same path as the last before shrinking back to his human shape and falling into a guard stance, although he still didn’t have a weapon he’d still managed to leave his mark on Seymour. There where burns and other signs of damage that the Moxibody hadn’t healed. 

Even so, Seymour appeared unfazed. He simply raised his hand and let fly with a volley of Thundara spells. Yet again O'aka’s reflect shield diverted the spell back on the caster. Harry fell back to Rikku’s side as Kimahri entered the battle proper, jumping high above the combatants and driving his spear down into Seymour’s head. The point slid off the hardened shell of his hair but had the added bonus of hitting the parasite. 

A Cura was enough to bring Rikku back to her feet and she darted in once more, supported by a hail of automatic gunfire from Gatta as Harry set up defensive spells around himself and stared through the shimmering air at Seymour pensively, a scan spell activated. Unlike some of the fiends and Aeons he’d encountered in the past Seymour wasn’t particularly bothered by the various elements. Holy magic was more effective than fire, ice, water or lightning but there was nobody in their party who knew enough to use it. That caliber of White Magic took a great benevolent force to utilize and right now, Harry was sure everyone was feeling more that a little upset toward the already dead Maester. Tidus’s eyes where beginning to glow with the force of his righteous fury…

“That’s it!” He snapped his fingers and dismissed the spells around him before taking on a stance Tidus recognized when he looked back. The staff was glowing this time with white light as he held it to the sky and the beam of light once again connected the heavens and the earth but even as Tidus steeled himself for the deathly cold of the Aeon be found himself staring. The spell circle appeared on the flagstones of the bridge but instead of darkness pouring out, it was light. The corona flared, taking on a rainbow effect and the smells of springtime filled the air as Harry swung the staff down. Then, standing before him was a woman. 

She was old that much was obvious, but unlike the last time Demeter had been summoned to the battlefield. Dressed in white she radiated a kind of glowing beauty that spoke of kindness and strength. She was nothing like the twisted and sour old hag of before. 

“Demeter! Please help us seal away those who should have passed on but linger.” Harry’s voice came from behind and Demeter’s own emerald colored eyes opened to take in the sight of Seymour. She frowned and nodded when the baby she held in her arms began to cry. She made no move to attack but nine semi-solid glowing orbs of light orbited around her, growing brighter before they shot into the sky and came back down in a perfect circle around Seymour. Even he couldn’t hold back the sudden pulse of emotion he felt at the sheer power pushing in on him from all sides. In their rotation the orbs gave the illusion of a solid ring as they sped up before exploding in a fantastic display of pyrotechnics. There was a high-pitched squeal from ground zero and a deeper shout joined it. The light then finally began to fade away, leaving Seymour on his knees. 

There was an odd noise in the silence that had followed and the parasite disengaged from its host, falling lifelessly to the ground. After that Seymour began to power down. His metallic features simply melting away as he gave them an almost betrayed look and burst into a cloud pyreflies. Everyone else stared, stunned having been involved in the death of a Maester for a second time. Then O'aka broke the silence, letting out a great whoosh of air from his lungs all in one go. 

“Does anyone else feel like that was just a tad to short?” Everyone looked at him flatly.

“What?!” The Black mage squawked indignantly. Auron let a chuckle escape his mouth before he turned and walked past Harry and his faintly frowning Aeon. Demeter followed his path with green eyes as he passed and finished by looking at Harry in question. The Summoner just shook his head. 

“I think Seymour was the only guard they left here Demeter.” He waved a dismissal and once again the woman bowed before vanishing in a pulse of light. The others easily slipped into their places around him as they turned their backs on the gateway to Bevelle. 

“Lets get out of here...” Tidus murmured, his eyes easily picking out the forms of people waiting for them at the end of the bridge. “…before somebody else tries to kill us.”

 

____________________________________________________________

 

Harry’s eyes where closed as he sat patiently amid the trees of Macalania once more. 

The forest with its distant music and magical aura was one of the most peaceful places in Spira. If he closed his eyes and let go of his magic he could almost feel the sentient life of the trees beyond the ring of flames created by the Aura’s of those who sat in the clearing, awaiting the all clear from their lookouts. 

With so much magic in the air Harry almost felt like he was home. 

Behind him Tidus shifted into a more comfortable position and sent a relatively discreet glare at Wakka when he got a constipated look at their display. Harry was in his lap, just drifting in the borders of sleep after expending the energy he had to summon. Normally it wouldn’t have bothered him but a long swim through the Via Purifico didn’t exactly do wonder’s for physical states. The party sat in silence for a long time before the nearly silent footsteps sounded from the direction of the road.

“It’s clear.” Auron announced as he entered the clearing. Harry opened his eyes and looked up at him as Gatta skipped through behind. “The guards have given up searching for us for now and have retreated to Bevelle, but we will have to avoid that place in the future.” There was a general murmur of accent as the others fell back into their own thoughts or picked up small conversations, settling in to camp for the night. They didn’t want to risk a fire or any lights, in case the soldier monk’s where still in the area so they sat in the eternal sparkling twilight without complaint. 

After around half an hour had passed Tidus looked up from watching the top of Harry’s head to find Yuna standing over them. She chewed her lip and gave an odd half bow before looking down at Harry. 

“Uhhh… would it be… could I please speak with you Master Summoner?” Tidus gave Harry a gentle shake and a mental prod to awaken him from his meditation. 

_‘Yuna wants to speak to you about something.’_ Harry’s eyes opened and he looked up at the female Summoner, blinking owlishly as he wondered what she could want to discuss. Slowly he got to his feet and looked at her expectantly. Yuna blushed and beckoned him down another path so they could speak in private. Tidus watched them go and remained far calmer than anyone in the clearing had thought he would. What they didn’t know though was that he’d opened his connection to Harry and was listening in through the Summoner. Kimahri took up a guard position near the pair but didn’t get any closer and Tidus let his mind wonder…

 

____________________________________________________________

 

“So what is it you wished to speak of?” Harry asked as he sat down on the bank of the large spring that dominated a nearby clearing. In the center was a gigantic tree, similar to the others of the forest but this one seemed far more powerful, probably because it was sitting right on top of the source. Yuna, who had chosen to remain standing moved right to the edge of the water and looked out toward the forest on the other side. 

“… I used to read the stories about the Master Summoner in the temples during my apprenticeship as a Summoner…” Harry closed his eyes again as she said those words, a distinct feeling of annoyance creeping up through his mind. 

“It was those stories that made me want to continue being a Summoner. My father was always telling them to me as well… How was it you stood up to such great odds? I barely had the courage to leave Besaid, I tried to stall I was so nervous. I just wanted to run away and never think about dying with the Final Summoning ever again…” her ramblings trailed off and Harry sighed. His right hand moving up to pinch the bridge of his nose, while the other wrapped around his knees.

“I defeated Voldemort because I wasn’t allowed to run away.” He answered her question flatly, making her look at him in shock. Harry waved at her in a dismissive gesture but continued. “There was a prophecy that was never revealed to the public.” He explained tiredly. “It bound me to defeat Voldemort or be killed by his hand and let the whole world go to hell.” 

“But you did your duty anyway.” She appealed. “You didn’t fear him.” 

“Oh I feared him.” Harry admitted bitterly. “He scared the shit out of me, he manipulated me and my blood even helped to give him a new body.” He cast a speculative eye on the girl as his mind picked apart the conversation piece by piece and drew conclusions. 

“You’re afraid.” He said outright and Yuna jumped. “You don’t know which way is up because someone swept the carpet out from under your feet and now you’re looking for someone else to tell you what to do because that’s what you’ve been doing all your life.” He shook his head and looked away, Yuna stared in dumb silence, frozen in place at the lecture he was giving her. 

“I can’t tell you what you have to do.” He refused to look back at her. “You can follow, you can lead, or you can just give up. Either way the decision is yours to make and yours alone. Don’t be something else for me to worry about.” That said he stopped speaking altogether. He wasn’t sure how long it was, but it came as a relief when the other Summoner finally left…

 

____________________________________________________________

 

The look on Yuna’s face was nearly stricken when she walked back into view of the camp, Kimahri in tow. Tidus rolled his eyes when she looked at him as she passed and she blushed bright red. Snorting the blonde got to his feet and walked off down the path. 

When he reached the clearing with the spring he slowed his step and looked across at his Summoner. Harry had his head pressed into his knees as he breathed slowly and deliberately. Tidus walked over and sat down so that the dark haired Summoner was pressed against his side. Yuna’s prying hadn’t exactly done wonders. There was a thrum of discontent in the back of his mind and the babble of an incoherent voice as Harry’s mind turned circles around his memories. After a while they began to recede and their owner shifted in the blonde’s hold. 

“What was Zanarkand like?” Tidus was slightly startled at the random question and took a minute to think before he answered. 

“It was a city that never slept.” He said rather absently as he tried to conjure up his memories of the city, having difficulty because he didn’t really miss it anymore. “Where ever you went it was brightly lit, with people moving everywhere, partying the night away.” 

“Hmmm…” Harry murmured, eyes half lidded as they stared out at the spring. 

“The people there loved blitzball.” Tidus went on. “There would be a game nearly every night of the week and hundreds of people would come to cheer…” His eyes took on a distant look of their own. 

“Nobody ever really lacked for anything, everyone was always safe… no one had a care in the world other than whether or not their team won or if they’d get tickets to the right concert…” Now that he thought about it there had been a few wars at some point, but they seemed glossed over… as if they hadn’t really happened…

“I had a dream about a city like that once.” Tidus snapped out of his thoughts and looked down to see Harry’s bright emerald eyes staring back. 

“Really?” Harry nodded with a growing whimsical smile. 

“Yeah, not many people knew about it though. I think at some point in the past, before…” For a moment he looked as though he wasn’t going to continue but soon shook himself out of his brief trance. “…before my former Guardian’s died I was planning to rebuild the wizarding world. I… no, we were all going to bring it out of the past and integrate it with the muggle world, we aimed to create a world where wizards could be accepted, where we wouldn’t have to hide in fear of persecution.” 

“We had magic in Zanarkand.” Tidus offered up brightly. “Maybe your dream really did come about after all.” For a moment Harry stared at him with wide eyes before he relaxed again with a smile.

“Maybe.” He conceded and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Then, a few minutes later the peace was shattered.

“I want to go swimming.” 

Tidus nearly gagged in surprise at Harry’s abrupt statement and sat bolt upright.

“Wha…?” He leaned back to look at his Summoner but the other teen had already leapt to his feet and walked the water’s edge, a trail of clothes behind him.

 

-


	17. I'm on my way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Journeying into the calm lands and things look familiar for Harry

Once again it was the light that woke them.

The clearing with the spring was wide enough that the sun could shine down into the forest unhindered by the trees. Tidus just rolled over and soaked in the rays without a care in the world, quickly returning to sleep. However, his sleep was broken again by something moving beside him. 

“Tidus…” Harry moaned faintly as he pushed himself up off the dragon Animagus’s chest. “…come on, get dressed. We can’t be like this if Rikku decides she wants to come and find us, or even worse, Yuna.” 

That got him up.

They where both alert and ready to go when someone actually did come to find them. Lulu took in the sight of them both as she arrived and instantly arched an eyebrow in mild amusement. 

“When you weren’t in the camp I was volunteered to retrieve you.” She said, a slight lilt to her voice. “I am glad I did not come sooner or I might have seen something I would not have liked to see.” Harry went atomic red and put his head down as he began to giggle. Tidus just stood there grinning like a maniac and Lulu shook her head in exasperation. 

“I was told to inform Summoner Harry that Yuna will be continuing her Pilgrimage. Since we are traveling to the same destination we wondered if you would consent to combining our forces until we reach Zanarkand?” Harry just shrugged flippantly, not in any kind of mood to be enduring formalities. 

“I won’t stop you if you do.” He said simply as they began to walk back in the direction of the camp. 

The other’s where waiting when they arrived. 

Rikku was half way up a tree with Gatta, swinging her legs while she chattered away, Auron was leaning on the base of the tree, his sword propped against his shoulder while O'aka was hassling Wakka. Yuna stood solemnly beside Kimahri and blushed when they looked in her direction. 

“Well? Are we going or what?” Tidus asked and they gathered before setting out along the now wider forest road. Rikku and Gatta scampered ahead, scouting the way while Harry and Yuna where pushed to the center of the group, surrounded by Kimahri, Wakka, Tidus and Auron. Lulu and O'aka took up the rear, talking in low voices about various black magic spells and how to improve on them. At least and hour had passed when the tree’s began to thin out, allowing more and more of the early morning sun light to filter through the leaves. The forest ended right up against a moss covered rock wall and they where forced into a bottle neck ravine where the dirt of their path gave way to grass and opened out onto one of the most incredible views Harry had ever seen. 

They stood on a wide ledge that over looked a vast grassland plain that went on for as far as the eye could see and then some. Harry just couldn’t keep the smile off his face as a stray thought about the Sound of Music ran through his head. 

‘Need’s more hills.’ He decided looking over the low lying, grass covered mounds of earth to where an equally as low structure was built. He was shaken from his thoughts by a thump and turned to see that Yuna had fallen on her back, staring up at the sky unseeingly, lost in thought. While they stood, taking in the view Lulu broke the silence. 

“Long ago the High Summoners fought Sin here.” She said almost reverently, her eyes drifting toward the west where the plains just simply ended. “The road ends here. Beyond, there are no towns, no villages. Only endless plains.” Auron sent her a rather disgruntled look that said something along the lines of ‘I knew that’. 

“Many Summoners stray from their path and loose their way here.” He added to the description in his low deadpan voice. No one really said anything after that and Kimahri helped Yuna to her feet as she mumbled something to herself. Harry looked at Tidus behind their backs and raised a hand beside his face, making a swirling motion around his ear and crossing his eyes. He stopped a moment later when the blonde burst out laughing. Wakka, Lulu and Yuna gave them both odd looks but the other’s, bar Kimahri, where used to the silent conversations that seemed to go on between the Guardian and Summoner. 

Putting the incident aside they began to pick their way down the gentle slopes and moved onto the rolling plains, making for the distant dot on the horizon.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

“HEY!!! STOP! COME BACK!!!” O'aka streaked across the grassy hills and took a flying leap toward his prey, sailing through the air for a moment before he crash-landed face first in the dirt.

Harry laughed.

O'aka looked up with a disgruntled expression on his face.

“It’s not funny.” He pouted before walking to where he’d dropped his staff. He’d taken one look at the endless grassy plains and instantly wondered off to chase the Chocobo’s. 

So naturally, he hadn’t had much luck in catching them. 

As the merchant turned black mage stomped around muttering Harry turned his attention to the big golden form that was twisting lazily around in the clear blue sky. Tidus, on the other hand, had an affinity for the birds. One would think that being a dragon would scare them away but this wasn’t the case. They had flocked to him the moment he’d transformed, all clamoring for his attention. Which was mostly why Harry was sitting on one now. Riding a Chocobo was kind of like riding a Hippogriff; except there weren’t the back legs of a horse to mess up the way it walked, assuring a much smother ride. They’d found a lady earlier who had been riding much as they where and she had told them that the Chocobo where very intelligent and loyal creatures. If they sensed you where good they would follow you regardless of size, shape or species, Tidus being a prime example. 

After an hour the younger two members of their group had gotten bored and begun to goof off, riding circles around the rest of the group. The older members where enjoying the relative peace and quiet, Harry also knew that Auron was sleeping in the saddle. The older man was rocking with the motion of the Chocobo that carried him as it trotted somewhere in the middle of the group. The green-eyed Summoner hadn’t been to sure at first so he cast a discrete scan spell and sure enough, the man was sleeping…

The man snapped awake a moment later though when there was a roar from the west and everyone looked toward the source. Tidus had found something. Harry leaned down over the neck of the Chocobo and urged it forward at a faster pace. It didn’t take long to catch up and this time the sight that awaited them left Harry completely speechless. 

It was as though the earth had dropped away leaving a great expanse of nothing. It was hundreds of miles down the cliff face that the ground leveled out, nothing grew there and most likely never would. Harry looked over at Tidus in askance but the Guardian could only give him the draconic equivalent of a shrug. Harry looked over to Auron instead.

“… The calm lands have long been a battle ground for those who confront Sin.” He explained. “It wasn’t always this calm. It was said there used to be great forests and mountains here but they where destroyed in the Summoners battles.” He indicated another direction with a nod of his head. 

“Over there is there is the Scar.” Harry let his Chocobo trot along the cliffs until a great chasm became distantly visible. “It was created by one of the first Summoners in a battle with sin… or so they say.” He fell silent and backed away heading for the Al Bhed outpost, which was now much closer than it had been before. The others followed him but Harry didn’t feel like going and neither did Tidus. So Harry got off his Chocobo and turned it lose before walking over to where Tidus had changed back to human. A frown marred his expression as he took another look over at the canyon. Something was screaming at him, in his mind the image of the plains was over laid by another one, a scene he’d left behind him, back in the past, 

“Harry?” The Summoner looked up to see Tidus looking slightly concerned. “What’s wrong?” Sure he could look into Harry’s thoughts but that didn’t necessarily mean he always understood them. 

“I… I think I know this place.” He absentmindedly registered Tidus holding his hand as he walked in the direction of the canyon. He stared at the ground and even managed to walk a full circle around a large stone before heading off in the right direction. Eventually they came to a stop at the edge of the scar and stared down into its depths. Unlike the dead land to the west that stretched off into the distance they couldn’t see the bottom. The narrow rift was shrouded in mixed residual energies that felt positively ancient. They walked along it in the direction of the mountains before Tidus noticed a path leading down the cliff. Looking at Harry he noticed that the Summoner was deep in thought. Leaving him at the top of the path Tidus ventured down a little way before he noticed a scent in the air. Someone had been there recently. Moving further he stopped has his foot hit something with the ringing chime of metal. Crouching down he brushed aside the dirt and found himself holding a sword. Rubbing away more of the caked dirt the blade was slowly revealed. 

It was made of pure gold and silver with long strips of some blue gemstone embedded into the metals. From what he could tell the hilt was made of the same materials and wrapped in royal blue leather. Tidus couldn’t take his eyes off it and was ready to clean off the rest of the dirt when both a mental and physical cry of distress shook him from his thoughts. Without really thinking and with the sword in hand he bolted up the path to find Harry on his knees. A quick look said he was unharmed but even so, he was staring at the Scar in pure horror.

“This is the place…” He murmured just loud enough for Tidus to catch. “…this is where it happened…” He looked ready to cry as his gaze drifted out to the wasteland once more.

“Hogwarts really is gone…”

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

Harry’s mood was grave when and Tidus finally caught up with the others. It was late in the night and the moon was high in its arc across the nighttime skies. Normally Harry would have stopped to look at the unimpeded view offered by the Calm lands low lying plains but he just couldn’t bring himself to look up. 

The Scar…

That crevice had seemed so familiar because he’d seen it before. The battle with Voldemort had taken place miles away from Hogwarts on the outer edges of the Forbidden Forest, closer to the mountains than anything else, even though the battle sight had been visible from Hogwarts... come to think of it… what remained of the Scar now was only a small portion of what it had been. He hadn’t even recognized the land around him for what it was. The ever-present hum of ambient magic that had come with the forest had disappeared over time along with the enchanted woods and its creatures. Harry’s eyes drifted back to the west again, ignoring the fuss that was springing up around him. He’d seen maps of Spira, but none had held all that much resemblance to the Islands of the United Kingdom. What had happened to cause such a drastic change in the landscape that not even he could recognize his old home? 

He came back to the present when someone sat down nearby. Looking across he noticed it was Maechen, the old scholar they’d met on the Thunder Plains. 

“Ahhh!” He let out a soft kind of sigh as he settled down by the campfire that was burning merrily in the makeshift Inn of the Al Bhed out post. It was little more than a tent really. It was low to the ground and had no real luxuries. Most of them where quite used to roughing it by now, so they didn’t really miss them. 

“Its wonderful to see you again Master Summoner!” Maechen said in his wizened voice. Harry flinched at the name. Now that the Maester’s knew he’d quickly resigned himself to hearing that particular title but so soon after seeing the Scar… Maechen went on, ignoring, or not noticing the reaction.

“You know I studied a little about the calm lands you know. I don’t quite remember where but I could tell you about it, if you wish.” Harry frowned as he thought. 

“… A lot of the land here has changed, what caused so much land mass to just disappear?” Harry asked the question he’d been pondering for a while. Maechen gave a faint nostalgic smile. 

“It has been many a year since you last walked here.” He began waving a hand vaguely to indicate the surrounding areas. “Sin is a great destructive force, when he first appeared he destroyed many things. His attacks carved out the land to make it what it is today. When the forests of the calm lands died Summoners began using it as a battle ground to combat Sin. Their powers clashed violently and what you see to the west is part of the overall result. Spira has long since lost all contact with anyone remaining outside of our borders, leaving us as the souls responsible for Sin.” He’d been rambling off tangent slightly before he finished speaking but Harry still understood the gist of what he was trying to say. In the end it all brewed down to the one thing that mattered. Both Sin ‘AND’ the Summoners had been responsible for the destruction of where Hogwarts had been…

But then he thought of something.

“Sir, if the lands where destroyed and my home Hogwarts along with it… then why can I still summon my Aeons?” Maechen stared at him pensively. 

“That’s a very good question.” He responded, thinking deeply as he tried to recall what he knew. “Ah, yes, I remember now.” Maechen sat up straighter.

“There where once records that explain that after the time of the Master Summoner, Summoning became popular once more. With the legendary school of magic closed to most of those who had the talent, the Fayth where removed from their resting places in the castle and placed in temples throughout Spira and Zanarkand. I am not quite certain of their locations as some of the temples have been lost but I do know that the Fayth once known as Lady Ravenclaw resides in the temple on the Island of Besaid, far to the south. I believe many of your companions come from that Island.” On that count Harry knew Maechen was right. With the exception of Tidus, Rikku, Kimahri and himself, the majority of the people he was traveling with did indeed come from that island. The other news about Rowena Ravenclaw didn’t seem half as astonishing as one would have thought. Harry had already had his suspicions when he discovered the Aeon more commonly known as Valefore, since it was a smaller, but almost carbon copy of Athena.

Harry gave him an absent minded thank you and moved over to the area where some of the guardians where already sleeping and lay down near an already snoring Tidus. He’d exhausted himself, staying in his Animagus form for most of the day. Even so, he still wore the small, satisfied smile that had resulted from his flight. 

As the night drew on, the Summoner tuned out the world and let the tranquil aura of the Calm Lands lull him to sleep.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

“AGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” 

Tidus was once more sent violently to the world of the waking when a great scream rent the air from nearby, completely shattering the dream he’d been having, just as it was getting to the good bit. Blue eyes where nearly glowing as he glared around the tent looking for the culprit only to have his gaze settle on the tarred and feathered form of Wakka as he tried to hop outside, only to he hindered by the blanket that had been glued around his legs tighter than a mummy’s bandages. 

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU!!!” The red head threatened loudly as he took another spill that knocked the wind out of him. Giggling laughter sounded from outside as Wakka pulled off his pants to get free and tore out of the tent screaming bloody murder. The occupants of the tent who had cringed away from the sight of Wakka in his boxer shorts all rushed out to see the red head stomping after the prank players as they sprinted across the vast grasslands in different directions. Harry was running with his normal unearthly speed in the direct line of the red head, slowly slowing down as the effort of running and laughing so hard caught up with him. Tidus was ready to intervene when Auron shook his head and nodded to one side. 

Rikku came running out of nowhere and knocked into Wakka, sending him sprawling in the dirt. The red head climbed back to his feet and glared at her only to notice the necklace dangling in her hand. He felt for the chain on his throat and his eyes widened comically when he realized it was in fact his necklace and charged like a bull in a shop full of red china. Rikku shrieked and ran off, zigzagging out of the way of his reckless lunges back toward the outpost where she threw the necklace to a very surprised Yuna before continuing past. Yuna held up the necklace to look at it and giggled, drawing Wakka’s attention. The Blitzballer didn’t seem to care she was his Summoner at the moment and came after her with not so nice intent. Yuna gave a delighted shriek similar to Rikku’s and ran as fast as she could in the other direction. Tidus didn’t really register that he had more company until Kimahri spoke up from beside him. 

“Yuna happy, Kimahri glad.” While Auron and O'aka had seemingly identified themselves with Lulu and the eldest of the groups, Tidus was fast starting to consider the blue Ronso as more than just a passing acquaintance, if not a friend. They’d come to somewhat of an understanding due to the people they’d sworn their lives to protect. The blonde didn’t take his eyes off Harry as he nodded his agreement. Seeing the green eyed Summoner laughing over the apparent shock he’d received yesterday was a sign that he would soon get over it. Rikku had joined him sitting the knee length grass and they where both enjoying the sight of Wakka casing Yuna. When their third conspirator, Gatta plonked down beside them, absentmindedly picking a feather out of his hair and letting it go to swirl away on the breeze Tidus just knew they’d orchestrated this outcome from the word go.

A minute later however, everyone was startled by a shout and Tidus nearly jumped out of his skin when Kimahri growled loudly. The blonde followed his gaze and found Yuna sitting on the ground in front of a robed priest that she’d bumped into while running from Wakka. Her Guardian’s converged of her position before Lulu spoke out in surprise. 

“Father Zuke!” All eyes traveled up to examine the man in Yevonite robes. He in turn was looking down at Yuna who was climbing to her feet and backing up slowly. 

“You know him?” Auron asked the black mage, an eyebrow raised, Lulu blushed faintly. 

“Before Wakka and I were Guardian’s to Yuna, we guarded Father Zuke. He gave up being a Summoner when we reached the calm lands and we returned to Besaid.” Wakka backed away from the priest, his face going red as he retreated behind Lulu, somewhat covering his state of dress.

“It was kinda a short pilgrimage, ya know?”

“Then why is ‘e all the way out ‘ere then?” O'aka sent the man a mistrustful look. Father Zuke looked at him with sparkling eyes that reminded Harry of Dumbledore. 

“I wanted to come see the so called ‘Traitor’ for myself.” He explained, his eyes drifting to Yuna before scanning the three teen’s sitting in the grass not far away. “But you certainly don’t look like the Murderers of Maester Kinoc.” 

“WHAT!?” Tidus took a step forward to join the conversation. Zuke looked momentarily startled before he gathered his wits again and gave them a grave look.

“Maester Mika just issued a personal order, you know. It said that Summoner Yuna, Summoner Harry and their guardians where the ones to murder Maester Kinoc and flee Bevelle. We are to kill you on sight… or so it says.” 

“What of Bevelle.” Auron asked as Tidus stormed off in a temper, making his way to Harry, Rikku and Gatta to tell them the news. 

“It looks calm on the surface, but there is great unrest beneath. After the death of Maester Kinoc, Kelk Ronso also left Yevon.” There was a somewhat saddened air to the conversation after that. 

“Convenient.” Auron bit out in his normal blank tone. “Getting around will be easier with Yevon in disarray.” He was right and no one there was going to challenge him on it. After a short while Father Zuke heaved a sigh, quickly figuring that his presence was no longer welcome.

“Be careful my friend’s,” he cautioned in a low almost weary voice. “You have been branded enemies of Yevon. You should avoid temples for the time being.” 

“Uh, Thank you, Father Zuke… for the warning.” Yuna gave one of her deeper than necessary bows. Zuke just waved it off as nothing. Lulu looked rather put off by something. 

“Father, you came all the way here just to tell us this?” The old man gave her a shadow of what could be considered a cheeky smile.

“To tell the truth, I was a little curious to see this Summoner you are guarding. I hope her pilgrimage goes well. For your sake, too.” He made no mention of Harry. “Well then, I must be off.” He raised his hands and performed the prayer finishing in a bow. “I shall pray for all of you.” Lulu and Yuna returned the gesture, making Wakka squeak as his cover shifted and with one last short laugh Zuke turned and left for home.

The other guardians just looked at each other and then between the Summoners before heading in to pack away their gear. The news from Bevelle had left them with a new shadow hanging over them, an unpleasant reminder that things weren’t always going to be so easy going. Even so, they set out around mid morning, heading northeast toward the other end of the Scar where it was safe to cross. After only an hour or so of walking or riding Harry began to doze off as the peaceful air got to him. The others took him from his Chocobo and Tidus transformed, lumbering easily along the ground to keep the slow pace.

Harry meanwhile, dreamed.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

_“Hey Harry, you look dead tired mate. You should come down and rest.” Harry stared at Ron blankly for a second before replying._

_“I’m not tired.” The red head let out a bark of laughter that said clearly that he didn’t believe him._

_“Yeah right, Harry! If you keep pushing yourself like this you’ll burn yourself out, then ‘Mione will get mad and you know what she’s like when she’s mad. She’ll say “You can’t save the world if you can’t save yourself.” Harry gave Ron a deadpan look._

_“I’m sleeping now aren’t I?”_

_It was true. The dark ethereal quality of the caves he sat in could only be found in a dream. Ron looked around again and shrugged._

_“Who knows.” Was all he said sitting back cross-legged on the large glowing orb of amber that held an ancient looking Samurai outfit in its depths. A ghostly dog trotted around the back of the cave and lifted its leg against a wall, totally unconcerned by its surroundings. Harry crumpled his nose._

_“Snuffles!” The grim like dog gave him a doggy grin, completely unashamed and continued to stray. He turned back to Ron to find his old Guardian staring at him almost calculatingly, a look that wasn’t often seen on Ron’s face outside of a chess match._

_“Who’s caring for you now?” He asked taking in his appearance. Harry was startled for a moment, wondering what to tell him but instead he just settled on the truth._

_“I have a few Guardians.” He admitted. “But the one who’s been with me from the beginning is Tidus.” Ron raised an eyebrow. It seemed in his dreams this Ronald Weasley wasn’t so hot headed. Nonetheless Harry understood the silent request to elaborate._

_“I met him before I arrived in Spira.” He explained. “When I appeared in Zanarkand. Tidus says that I appeared out of nowhere and landed in his lap, literally! He took me to see a Blitzball game as well before Sin attacked and destroyed everything. Auron seemed to drag us along, and next thing we knew we where shivering on a rock in the middle of nowhere.” He trailed off slightly and gave a hazy kind of smile. “He’s a natural Animagus, you know.” He added after a moment on silence._

_“A great big golden dragon… it suits him to. He has a lot of power and he’s always there. I don’t think he’s ever left my side of his own free will since we got here and now… I think I’ve fallen in love with him.” Both of Ron’s eyebrows went up this time._

_“You’ve got it bad mate.” He huffed out with a shake of his head and Harry gave him a sheepish smile. The news that Harry liked guys was nothing new even so his expression took on a concerned cast. “You said he came from Zanarkand.” He clarified getting to his knees and shuffling right to the edge of the amber orb so he and Harry where face-to-face._

_“You have to know.” He began slowly. “Harry… Tidus isn’t real.” Harry acted almost like he didn’t hear him until the meaning of the words sunk in and he found himself staring at Ron in disbelief._

_“What?” He asked softly. Ron gave him a pitying look._

_“Your guardian… isn’t real… We called his father to the real world from the dream ten years ago in the hope that he could free us from Sin and Yu Yevon. But he failed and now we’ve brought Tidus. He was only a handful of thoughts and memories left over from the true destruction of Zanarkand that we saved within an eternal dream, but he won’t be able to stay in the real world much longer. When Sin dies, he will fade.” The youngest male Weasley looked down at his hands so he wouldn’t have to see the growing look of horror on Harry’s face. “We are tired of dreaming Harry. We can’t keep dreaming forever, it’s time to sleep, but as long as Sin is still here we can’t…”_

_Harry didn’t quite know whether it was the dream getting fuzzy or his own watering eyes that made it so difficult to see Ron at that moment._

_“We’re sorry Harry.” Ron said apologetically, but Harry wasn’t listening. His fists where clenched in his lap while his whole body shook._

_“I’m not… I’m not going to let him fade.”_

_“Harry!”_

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Harry!” The dark haired Summoner groaned as he opened his eyes and stared blearily at the dark silhouette of the person who stood over him, framed by the sun. Grasping the scaled surface beneath him he pushed himself up and shook his head to clear it. 

“Rikku?” The younger blonde girl gave a little sigh of relief and reached out a gloved hand to pull him to his feet. 

“Yay! You’re awake! For a moment there it didn’t look like you where going to and Tidus was getting all panicky ‘cause he was growling and stomping so we woke you.” Harry blinked at the rambled speech and took the opportunity to look around at the surroundings.

“Where are we?” He asked thickly as Rikku helped him slide from Tidus’ expanded back. 

“We’ve reached the way out of the calm lands, we ‘ave.” O'aka explained with a careless air as he walked over, they where at the foot of the cliffs that surrounded the grasslands to the northeast. With the sun high in the air, the shadow of the cliffs didn’t spread so far. “There’s a ravine on the other side of that there pass an’ it’s the only way teh Mount Gagazet. Though, this lad wouldn’ta fit as a dragon.” He said gesturing to Tidus as he reverted to human and strode over the short distance created by the displacement of his mass. Harry saw the faint strains of worry in his expression and remembered what the Ron in his dream had said. 

_“Your guardian… isn’t real…”_

He lowered his eyes to the ground and cursed his old friend and guardian to hell and back for making him doubt. 

_“You have to know.”_

_“We’re sorry, Harry.”_

Ron, he knew now, was one of the Fayth. How he had become one, why he had become one and when he had become one were all mysteries but Harry couldn’t bring himself to doubt the dream. It had all seemed to real and somehow it was confirming what he’d felt in the back of his mind all along. His time in Spira, even if half of it had been spent on the run or caught up in politics, had just been to good to be true. He was faced with the dilemma of deciding between two very different outcomes. On one hand, he could help the Fayth defeat Sin and loose the one person who meant more to him than anyone in this world or out of it, or he could turn around now and forget about Sin, sabotage the chances of the other Summoners and selfishly keep his happiness while the world was slowly destroyed. 

But, in this case there really wasn’t a choice. 

His pride and his Hero complex wouldn’t let him leave the problem to sort itself out. Now that he’d walked among the people of Spira he didn’t want to leave them to Sin’s mercies and he was sure every single one of his guardians felt the same for many different reasons. They had been bound to this fate the moment Harry had dropped out of thin air into a dream then out of it. 

He had to fight the urge to just start crying. 

“Are you alright?” Tidus asked, still somewhat frantic as he pulled him into a hug. Harry let his limbs hang limply by his sides and closed his eyes, leaning heavily against the blonde’s chest.

“Yeah.” He managed to mumble out. “I’m fine, just tired.” The voice of his own sub-consciousness didn’t agree with him in the slightest.

_‘Liar’_

Harry gave it the mental finger as they began to walk into the shadows. 

_‘I’m not going to let him fade.’_


	18. The secrets of Mount Gagazet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group begins their crossing.

Their breath formed crystals in the air before their faces as they stepped away from the small cave network that tunneled through the gorge, opening the path to Mount Gagazet for anyone to travel. Soft white snowflakes drifted around them and Tidus drew his cloak closer to his body in an attempt to stave off the chill as the presence in the back of his mind complained in soft growls, vocally expressing its discomfort. Snow banked up on either side of the path under great monoliths. Their gray stone faces where carved with images of the Ronso, depicting the battles of their past and proclaiming the proud history of the mountain for all to see. Beyond them was the mountain itself, lording over all who stood at it’s feet. The wind howled wildly through its peaks and Tidus couldn’t help but feel a little cowed by the sheer unmovable force of nature. 

Beside him in a conjured cloak of his own Harry trudged along the path, his eyes distant as he stared off to their left where the rock rose up beside them. There was nothing to see but that didn’t stop Harry. The Summoner wasn’t looking at the stone anyway. He was looking back into his mind, but for once, Tidus couldn’t see what he saw there. It was odd, to be blocked out of Harry’s mind when the Summoner had never really cared about the intrusion before. Kimahri was in the lead if the party for once since he knew the way to the mountain gate better than everyone currently present. The small blue furred Ronso was beginning to get dirty looks as they got closer to their destination. 

Even if there was no real danger in their expressions of discontent, Tidus still moved closer to Harry’s side. As he gently bumped into him the Summoner was drawn out of his thoughts and he looked up at him, a faint, sad smile lighting his features. The blonde felt his heart flutter and not for the first time a thought ran through his mind. 

_‘Oh god, I’m in love.’_ It was still somewhat disbelieving and Harry’s eyes crinkled in genuine amusement as the gloomy shroud was cast off and he reached out to take his hand. Tidus clasped it firmly and they continued up the path toward the next stage of the journey. 

The sloping path leveled out and widened into a small valley that was sheltered by steeply sloped walls of stone. At the other end was a large gate made of the same carved gray material. Two cylindrical pillars carved in the same manner of those that lined the road up until this point held a third, solid slab of stone high in the air and Harry froze the moment he saw it. Although it wasn’t quite the same and certainly larger, the green eyed teen could quite easily imagine another arch in its place. For a moment there was a gray veil superimposed over the area before he blinked and it was gone, leaving the way eerily clear but for the slightly hunched form standing firmly in their way. 

“Maester Kelk Ronso…” Wakka breathed in faint awe from somewhere behind them. They began the walk toward him and the closer they got to the elder the more Ronso appeared ranging along the slopes that enclosed them within relative safety. When they stopped a respectful distance away from the Maester no one spoke and the two Summoners took another step closer. Oddly enough they once again mirrored each other. Yuna, having produced her own winter traveling garments, wore a white coat normally favored by white mage’s while Harry was shrouded in his normal black. 

Since no one was going to move Yuna took it upon herself to break the silence and stepped forward, making the prayer to the Maester. The Ronso rumbled somewhere deep in his chest.

“Two Summoners…” He ground out in a voice like stones. He was weary of all that had occurred and it showed. “The two who where sentenced to death in Bevelle none the less! Leave here at once, Gagazet is Ronso land, the sacred mountain of Yevon. The mountain will not bear the footsteps of infidels.” He was getting old and the treachery in the court of Yevon was just too much. He wanted nothing to do with it anymore; he would just retreat to the mountain and live out his days protecting it instead. 

“Enemy of Yevon is enemy of Ronso! Leave Traitors!” Even as the voice spoke from above Kimahri was jumping back and Tidus, without really thinking had dashed forward, pulling Harry closer to Kelk as a spray of frozen stone went up from the place Kimahri had been standing. Biran Ronso straightened from his crouch, the fire in his eyes more than making up for the lack in the elder. He probably would have charged him but the familiar yellow form of Yenke appeared on the path behind Kelk and ordered him sharply away. He gave a solemn glance to one side and noted Harry’s presence, as well as that of Tidus, his eyes straying to where the other blonde hadn’t taken his hand from the Summoner’s shoulder. Both humans got the impression of approval as he promptly began to ignore them and took up a guard position near Kelk. 

The few among the Ronso and the guardians who had noticed the silent exchange just blinked in confusion and looked to where the confrontation was happening between Yuna’s party and the Ronso leader. Harry and his guardians had been effectively shunted to the side and ignored. Yuna was clutching her staff in slightly trembling fingers as she drew herself up with a look that Tidus translated as she was going to do something rather foolish. 

“I have cast aside Yevon.” Yuna said in a loud voice and the blonde had to repress a laugh when Harry projected the mental equivalent of slapping his forehead. “I follow the temple no more!” 

“Then you will die by those words.” Kelk said in growing ire. Yuna however, didn’t look as though she was ready to back down. 

“So be it!” She proclaimed stubbornly. “Yevon has warped the teachings and betrayed us all!” 

“Nothing but a bunch of low-down tricksters, ya?” Wakka added his two cents with a rather strained expression, getting a small whoop of agreement from Rikku who couldn’t help herself. At this point Auron, Gatta and O'aka had sidled along the outside edges of the argument and joined the pair off to the side. 

“Well that was interesting.” Auron murmured in his low baritone from the corner of his mouth. Behind his dark tinted glasses his eyes flickered to the blonde and then to Yenke who was now getting into the argument as Kimahri charged up to Biran, stopping just a few inches short of the other Ronso but still glaring in defiance. Tidus hummed vaguely and pulled his cloak in tighter. 

“What is?” He asked, half not paying attention. 

“The Ronso aren’t concerned with us.” The older man commented offhandedly, giving a small gesture to the Ronso lining the slopes on either side. The majority of them where looking away from them with the exception of a few members of the younger generation who peered curiously around their mothers legs. That simple fact put the others on their guard but Tidus didn’t feel any real threat as the Ronso Maester and his cohorts finally relented and let Yuna pass. Yenke and Biran turned sharply and followed them, their eyes set on Kimahri. 

Once they where gone the majority of the Ronso present dispersed and Kelk turned in their direction. Rikku, O'aka and Gatta still eyed him warily. 

“Master Summoner.” Kelk said in way of greeting and Harry’s eyebrows shot up. The Maester noticed the look and frowned slightly. “Biran and Yenke are honored hero’s among us Ronso. When I returned to the mountain they tell me, ‘Don’t stop the Dark Summoner’.” Kelk shifted and moved a few steps closer.

“I left Bevelle and returned to the mountain because of the chaos within Yevon. Everywhere I go, I hear of the Master Summoner. Crusaders speak of him, People speak of him. I know now that you are the Dark Summoner, the Master Summoner. You command strange Aeons, but I believe you have the power to defeat Sin.” Harry looked somewhat stunned by the speech. The Ronso’s voice held absolute conviction as he bowed low and the others gasped. A Maester was highest rank in the clergy of Yevon and they bowed to no one. 

“Please, stand.” Harry stepped forward and tugged on Kelk’s arm, drawing him back up. The Maester did so, looking a little bewildered and Harry just backed away, shaking his head. 

“You shouldn’t bow to me.” He said quietly. Kelk backed away also and set him with a measuring gaze. 

“Very well.” He said a moment later, respect in his eyes that Harry was sure he didn’t really deserve. The Maester backed away and held out a paw toward the gate. 

“The Great Mountain Gagazet awaits you.” At that Harry gave him a smile and nodded before taking the first step. As they passed beyond the arch and out into the blizzards of the mountain they heard two cries go up into the sky behind them. 

“SACRED MOUNT GAGAZET! BIRAN HONOURS THE NAME OF STRONG WORRIOR WHO DEFEATS BIRAN. REMEMBER ALWAYS, GAGAZET! THAT NAME IS KIMAHRI!” The Ronso call echoed through the mountain and a much more powerful and ancient voice took up the cry after him. 

“SACRED MOUNT GAGAZET! I KELK HONOUR THE MASTER SUMMONER AND HIS GUARDIANS! LET THEM PASS MOUNT GAGAZET SO THEY MAY SAVE THE PEOPLE OF SPIRA!” The very mountain seemed to respond as the Ronso began to sing the Hymn of the Fayth, their voices coming from all over the mountain instead of just from behind. Yuna appeared from a side path looking dazed as her guardians as they where lead to the main path by Kimahri and Tidus couldn’t keep his own smug grin off his face when he noticed that Kimahri was nearly purring. He wasn’t sure what had happened but it looked as though the Ronso had finally found some peace at last. Harry stood back and let their group take the lead as the gate vanished into the storm behind them. A few distant strains of the Ronso’s tribute echoed behind them but as the Summoner looked up at the mountain they suddenly sounded foreboding. 

“…Ha sa te ka na e…  
…Ku ta ma e…”

Then, like the gate the music had faded and they where left with only the screaming wind. 

Harry drew closer to his guardians and gulped.

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

“Ten years ago I looked up at Gagazet from where we are now.” Auron looked up at the mountain from an outcropping to the side of the path. He’d strolled out there as they’d passed and Tidus had followed him. For a moment they could just see the outline of the peak through the storm but then it was concealed again behind the veils of snow.

“What where you thinking then?” Tidus took the bait and asked the question that was just waiting to be asked. Auron just gave him a ghost of a smirk.

“I was trying to think of a way to save Braska from his fate. At least this time we might have a chance.” Their eyes wondered to Harry who was walking between Rikku and Gatta, his head bent slightly to hear what they where saying over the wind. Tidus and Auron joined the procession again as they passed. 

“What do you have in mind?” Tidus asked, wondering just how much thought Auron had put into this. The older man was silent for a long time as they struggled along through the snow, their resident Black Mages occasionally casting Fira or Firga spells to help clear the way. 

“We should start with Her.” The grizzled former monk said after taking down what could have been his twentieth Grat. Tidus gave him a quizzical look. 

“Her?” Auron nodded. 

“She waits in Zanarkand amid the ruins, waiting there to test the Summoners before granting them the Final Summoning, Lady Yunalesca.” Tidus couldn’t help but stumble slightly hearing the name. He’d been talking to Maechen a while back and he had told him about the first Summoner to defeat Sin. 

“Isn’t she dead?” He asked loudly and Wakka half turned ahead of them, obviously suspicious. A whispered thought later and Gatta became the distraction as the younger islander tripped and fell in front of him, most likely on Harry’s prompting. Something that was confirmed when Tidus felt him drifting curiously on the edges of his thoughts. For a moment Auron looked nearly amused before he focused on the path ahead that had taken a turn into a tall crack that took them through the mountain. It was a good place to rest out of the wind while they caught their breath. The pair took up a guard to the rear, looking out at the way they’d just come. 

“Hmmmm, Yunalesca is an unsent.” Auron answered the blonde’s earlier question. “She was the one…” He abruptly cut off his sentence and a moment later he had regained his composure. 

“She’s a powerful foe and we will need to be rid of her before we can think of a way to defeat Sin.” Tidus was sure there was something there that he was missing. Something Auron wasn’t going to tell, at least, not yet. However, he let the subject drop waving a hand as if to dismiss everything, he left Auron standing by the entrance to the crack and walked back to Harry who latched onto him the moment he was in range. 

“I don’t like this mountain.” The dark haired teen murmured out loud and Tidus accepted a vial of potion that Harry had brewed nearly a month ago when they where camped out by the Djose Temple. He’d made whatever he could with the ingredients the forest and O'aka could supply and one of those was something he called the pepper-up potion. Tidus didn’t really like it all that much because of the steam that poured out of his ears when he drank it, but with his animagus form’s dislike of the cold it was a necessary evil. Tidus made a face and Harry cracked a small smile before it promptly vanished. 

Soon enough the party was ready to go again and they all trooped out the other side of the crack onto a natural ledge of the mountain, surrounded on three sides by rock walls it was mostly protected but for the paths leading off it in opposite directions. The forth side however was a cliff where the ground just dropped away into the clouds, leaving nothing to show where it finally hit bottom. Yuna and her guardians had moved on and the others where right behind them when Harry suddenly faltered and stopped. His frown was more than enough to indicate something was wrong, even before the Blonde’s senses began to scream danger. He span on the balls of his feet, eyes darting back and forth as he looked for the danger when a figure he knew all to well stepped from the crack they’d just left. Harry gasped softly and hurriedly shook of his surprise, giving a vague wave of his staff that appeared in his hands, probably summoned by magic. A mist like, silver being burst from the emerald and raced off after the other guardians. 

“Seymour…” Tidus ground out and the Guado smirked. “When the hell are you going to die and STAY DEAD?!” As he said this one hand drew Harry closer to his side while the other gripped the hilt of his sword in a white knuckled grip. 

“Ah yes… the Son of Jecht.” Seymour purred a wicked gleam in his eyes as they flickered to Harry and the hold Tidus had him in. The smirk turned into a truly evil smile and he met the blonde’s gaze squarely. “How daring.” He all but drawled, “Such a relationship between Summoner and Guardian is unique. Even so, feel grateful that you are to die together, for I can not allow you to go through with your plans to destroy the Final Summoning.” It was quite the wrong thing to say and Tidus drew his blade. The sword was radiating a weak aura of it’s own in response to its wielder’s emotions.

“Not if I can help it.” Tidus snarled the challenge and Seymour nodded, having expected such resistance from the beginning. 

“Very well, now prepare yourself to die, Son of Jecht, Master Summoner.” Tidus retracted his arm from around Harry and the Summoner immediately began to gather a spell when a shout signaled that back up had arrived. 

“Save some for Kimahri!” The Ronso yelled out as he approached, taking up a guard stance with his weapon in hand. The others fanned out and Harry was quickly pushed to the back of the group along with Yuna, Auron standing between them and the others, but that didn’t prevent them from being noticed. In fact, Seymour’s eyes went straight to Yuna’s making it clear she had been his target all along and the others where just a bump in the road. 

“Lady Yuna, it is a pleasure.” He gave her a slight bow but the girl did nothing in return. Her expression showing signs of the still lingering betrayal before it hardened into resolve. She stepped out from behind Auron and brandished her staff before her in clear statement of intent. However, Seymour retained his faintly amused expression. 

“A sending? So soon?” His voice was mocking as he smirked at her. “Well, if you must, but allow me to say something to the last Ronso before I leave.” Everyone froze at those words and the first emotion that wasn’t determination, irritation or a blank mask flitted through the Ronso’s eyes. 

It could only be described as Horror. 

Seymour laughed shrilly and a moment later began to speak in a mockingly sorrowful tone, eyes never leaving Yuna’s face as he addressed Kimahri.

“Your’s was a truly gallant race. They threw themselves at me to bar my path. One…after another…” He emphasized his words by bringing up one arm and then the other before slashing them down and letting out another short laugh. “They where determined not to let me past, their battle cries for the Summoners.” 

“No.” Kimahri said bluntly in denial, but the shaking of his weapon betrayed the grief. 

“Kimahri…” Yuna breathed out and both Harry and Tidus felt a fleeting Sympathy for the creature. They knew what it was like to have everything ripped out from under their feet. Seymour, appeared to become more serious after that.

“You could end the suffering of this…Poor Ronso.” His words had an eager edge to them that put everyone back on guard. Yuna was nearly glaring now, she was getting more and more disillusioned and with that, anger and confusion came hand in hand. 

“I don’t understand you!” She said loudly, her hands clenching convulsively around her staff. Seymour waved a hand in a lofty gesture. 

“Allow Kimahri to die, and release him from his pain. Spira… is a land of suffering and sorrow caught in a spiral of death. To destroy…” He suddenly cut off his speech as he realized his words but picked it up again flawlessly but a spilt second later. “…to heal – Spira, I will become Sin. Yes, with your help. Come with me, Yuna.” He held out one long fingered hand to her but she shook her head and glared all the more. 

Seeing that the approach wasn’t going to work he turned his speculative gaze to Tidus. “You do know, that once I have become the next Sin, your father will be freed again.” The words where soft, almost gentle as he spoke them but to anyone who understood the blonde and his feelings toward his father they where the magic words that set off a raging tide of hate behind his glowing blue eyes. 

“What do you know!” Tidus snarled and lashed out with his blade in a violent and unfocused response. The blow fell short as Seymour fairly glided back and swiftly began to change into the metallic floating form he had worn when they’d fought him back in Bevelle. Tidus prepared for another swing and stopped as a large Machina like structure rose from below the edge of the cliff. Seymour stepped back onto the front and it closed around him like amour, leaving him extended from the front to the monstrous living machine. 

“Pitiful mortals.” Seymour spoke in his metallic omnipresent voice. “Your hope ends here… And your meaningless existence with it!” 

“Them’s are fightin’ words.” Harry couldn’t help the remark as it slipped from his lips but no one really noticed as everyone went into action. Seymour used mechanical extensions of his body to produce a lance, swinging it as Kimahri as he charged recklessly into the fray. The Ronso easily sidestepped the hit and leapt high in the familiar jump attack. The spear made contact and cut through the machina’s outer shell but he was thrown off a moment later when a magically propelled arm grabbed him and hurled him past the others into the rock wall in a move eerily similar to the last battle. Before their eyes though sparks emerged from the gash and all of a sudden the Machina was repaired. 

_‘It’s like the parasite.’_ Tidus thought to Harry as he dashed in at high speed, delivering multiple attacks from different directions, all the while dodging the flailing lance that finally found a victim when Gatta wasn’t fast enough dodging. The gunner froze up as the inflicted wound began to ooze black and he could almost feel the infection spreading through him but his world exploded into pain as Seymour cast a bright healing spell and Gatta was down for the count, the zombie virus serving to make the Full-life spell lethal. 

“KEEP AWAY FROM THE LANCE!” Auron dodged it himself as he recognized the effects. He raised his blade and grabbed the bottle that usually hung from his side. Taking a swig he quickly let it drop back on it’s string and spat it toward the sword. As it sprayed across the rune carved metal cleaver it ignited in to a blood red ghost of flame. Archaic seals span through the air around it and the power stored into the blade was released as Auron made a powerful swing in Seymour’s direction. The red and black shadows leapt from the blade and quickly turned to orbs of pure darkness that penetrated Seymour’s defense to hit the unsent monster head on. 

The entire Machina shuddered as if in pain and Seymour raised a hand, manifesting a Protect Shield before himself. As their physical attacks began to have less effect Lulu and O'aka where pushed forward but Rikku skipped past them and in a shocking maneuver she grabbed onto Seymour himself. Using his face as a foothold she scrambled atop the Machina that bucked in an attempt to throw her off. Seymour was distracted by a water spell that seemed to slide off, barely making a dent in the machine but it was enough to Irritate the former Guado, Rikku yelped as two giant blades where pulled out of slots on either side of her and she cried out to the others as they where slashed out in an X pattern. Wakka, who had been pelting his electrified blitzball at Seymour repeatedly, ducked and the top of his red curl was nearly cut off. O'aka, hindered somewhat by his pack, was lucky not to be split in two as the blade slashed across his stomach. 

Harry cried out in panic and rushed toward him, already casting spells that could save the ex-merchant’s life. Rikku, still on her lofty perch worked quickly, like any Machina there was an access hatch and the Al Bhed ripped it away, flinging it into the empty air below as she plunged in her clawed gauntlet. There where sparks of the electrical kind as the machina’s systems responded, giving out an almost human like squeal as the wiring was removed completely in the most violent manner possible. Seymour dropped a foot or two in the air and a faint trail of smoke began to rise from somewhere behind but it remained floating… barely. 

Rikku dropped down and ran to the side as Yuna began to glow with the power of the summoning. The orbs of light twirled around her and her first Aeon, Valefore, rocketed down from the clouds. Even at the pace it was flying Valefore only had time for one attack on Seymour before the former Guado turned toward it and lashed out with an arm. 

“BEGONE! Only death awaits you!” The avian Aeon screamed as it exploded into a cloud of pyreflies, signaling it’s return to the Summoning plain and its exit from the battle. Both Summoners felt the ugly heave that meant neither would be able to summon Valefore or Athena a second time. Tidus took the moment after the incident to change and with far more freedom was able to take off in draconic form. He began to attack from behind while Seymour retaliated with a wave of spells that crashed into every available target. A Thundaga spell shot down Rikku and a Firga intended for Harry hit Auron instead. Lulu and Yuna had been protected at the time but both where looking worn as their magic began to dwindle. Tidus provided another distraction and Seymour directed his full attention to him, turning away from the cliff to pursue him with the lance and swords. Harry, having managed to heal O'aka, tottered to his feet and took in the scene with growing anger. 

“This has to end now!” He ground out as Kimahri finally shook himself awake and limped over to them. Harry reached back into his mind and mentally began looking for an Aeon he could use. Then he settled on one, drawing his staff close to his chest he looked around for obstructions before he closed his eyes and stood stock still before he leapt into motion. 

The Summoning was almost like a dance as he took a lunged step forward and span in to a tight circle as the first foot landed. His head lolled to one side, following behind his body as he turned again and lashed out to one side. In his mind’s eye the staff smashed into a gong and in reality the sound rang out across the mountain. As the strike sounded he reversed his momentum and repeated the tight twirl in the other direction, mentally hitting a second gong that joined the throbbing ring of the first. After that he stepped away and the ringing of the invisible gongs continued on their own. The deep resonating waves shook the mountain and a huge crack seemed to open in thin air where Harry had once stood. It gave the impression of hellfire and screams as a gigantic black… thing stepped through. Black lightning flashed in the darkening sky and flashed across the horrifying visage of the dragon. 

Unlike Tidus it was pitch black and its hide sparked silver and red as it shoved itself from the dimensional rift. It towered above even Tidus as it let out an immense roar that could be heard as far away as Bevelle. Unable to really think after finding a creature even larger than himself Tidus blindly followed Harry’s call and transformed on the fly, using his momentum to fling himself behind the dragon that barely heeded him as Harry directed it to attack. 

The dragon turned blood red eyes on Seymour and the golden crest that marked it as an Emperor Horntail began to glow. It opened its gaping maw and the energy began to take form between jagged and stained teeth. Then as it reached its maximum charge the dragon king let it go and the power exploded toward Seymour. The beam remained steady as the black lightning lanced down, adding to the destructive power. Then as the beam faltered off it took off with a gust of wind that sent all the people on the ledge still upright, flying back into the rock wall. It charged at Seymour and as its jaws closed around the thoroughly defeated unsent, man and machine alike burst into a multicolored cloud of pyreflies that was quickly dispersed into the darkness. 

Its target gone the Horntail turned almost lazily and flew back to the dimensional rift that had remained open and passed through. The beating of the gongs that had continued throughout the attack stopped and began to fade as the rift closed. Then as absolute silence fell over the mountain the wan gray light returned to reveal their party sprawled across the ledge in varying states of awareness, but one thing was for certain, Seymour was well and truly gone. 

Tidus slowly dragged himself to his feet, shaking off the effects of his crash landing and limped over to the edge of the cliff, peering down just to make sure that Seymour wasn’t just hiding beneath the rim waiting to pop back up. 

“And stay there.” He yelled for no real reason other than to make himself feel better in the wake of such a terrifying creature. Behind him, once again bent over O'aka, Harry snorted and began to laugh. It shook the others out of their varying states of shock and they slowly began to move around. Those that could helped as an exhausted Harry began to heal them but he was forced to stop moments after when Tidus pulled him away, letting Yuna take the brunt of the work. He fought to stay awake as they settled near Auron once again. The older man’s skin was raw from his recent healing and there where still traces of the burn healing balm on his face and shoulders where his clothes hadn’t taken the brunt of the attack. Harry was force-fed an elixir by O'aka before he was allowed to repair their clothes from spell damage. 

Farrl, the Dragon he’d called, had never been his favorite for a reason. They’d researched the Fayth in order to find their temples all those centuries ago and the Fayth had been the very spirit of Rebellion, going as far as to create an Aeon that would probably one day turn and kill the Summoner. Harry guessed that it was a good thing that those Fayth could no longer be found… 

“I figured it out.” Harry muttered to himself and Tidus looked at him in curiosity. 

“Figured what?” He asked, but Harry didn’t answer, he just smiled and shook his head before carefully getting to his feet. 

“I think we should get going.” It had been nearly an hour since the battle and the others where just about ready to travel again. Leaving the shelter of the crack for a second time they drew their coats tighter around themselves once more and ventured toward the other path when they realized one of their group wasn’t following. They stopped, first Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri but one by one Harry and his guardians halted. They half turned and looked over their shoulder’s to see Yuna standing there with a stubborn frown on her face that did not bode well for them. Personally, Tidus had liked her better when she was the shy back-island-bumpkin who bowed too much, at least then she wasn’t so annoying. 

“He will become Sin…” She murmured, her eyes moving from face to face as she spoke, “With my help.” Auron turned fully to look her in the eye.

“It’s just the dreams of a mad man.” The ex-monk intoned, but Yuna didn’t appear to listen. 

“If he becomes Sin, Sir Jecht will be saved.” Her eyes settled on Tidus who felt a brief flare of annoyance. He opened his mouth to put the subject to rest when Auron beat him to it. 

“We’re leaving.” His expression was shuttered and not a single emotion was showing through the stone-like mask he’d created and that alone was enough to betray how much this had shaken him up. Yuna whirled on him immediately and glared at the back of his head as he moved past Tidus and Harry. 

“You know something! Tell me!” Auron steadfastly ignored her and kept moving so she turned to Tidus. “Tell me!” She demanded of him instead. The blonde looked down at her like she had grown a second head. 

“You are not my Summoner.” He said in a deadpan tone and everyone seemed to wince as they remembered that they where not one big happy family. 

_‘Cold.’_ Harry murmured somewhere in the back of his mind but the feelings behind it where agreement. Even if Auron had been her Father’s Guardian, he had no reason to tell her, and Tidus, as Jecht’s son and Harry’s Guardian, had no obligation to do so either. Yuna was only there because they had agreed that it was mutually beneficial to both parties to remain together for the duration of the trip to Zanarkand. Besides, Harry’s guardian’s already knew what was going on and why they had set out to destroy sin in the first place. Even Gatta who hadn’t been there when they’d first heard for themselves who and what Sin was. Leaving Yuna standing in the path looking desperate and confused they began their trek once more, following the way that Auron had gone a few seconds before. It was long and winding, with the carved pillars that lined the path at the bottom of the mountain, rising up on either side. It continued to that theme for a few hundred meters before it eventually began to give way and it opened out to a sight that shocked them to hell and back.

Bodies lined the walls, half embedded in the stone of the mountain and covered by a haze of blue light that spread out from large seals painted where the rock had been smoothed away. Opposite them, in the center of the crater like structure there was what appeared to be a pool of water that defied gravity by flowing up into the air where it hovered as a ball of water. Their group fanned out as they took in the amazing sight, slowly coming to realize that the people, men, women and children, embedded in the stone where only statues. 

“What are these…?” Tidus breathed out in awe as he turned a full circle and let his gaze settle on the pillar of water.

“These are Fayth…” Harry said slowly, looking around and realizing what they where. “A Summoning?” Yuna asked in a faint voice, coming up behind, still not quite sure about how they would react. 

“Someone is drawing energy from all of them.” Harry didn’t even appear to acknowledge her as he nodded to the haze that surrounded them. 

“This many?” Rikku asked as she examined the statue of a woman, getting as close as she dared. 

“Who do ye think needs all this?” O'aka added his two cents. “An’ what do ye suppose they’re summoning?” No one really answered as Harry went into deep thought. 

_‘Maybe…?’_ Tidus looked at him when he heard that single drifting word but was distracted by Rikku a moment later when she turned on Auron who was standing ahead of the group, staring blankly at the pillar. 

“Hey! You know something don’t you!” She yelled out. “Spill the beans!” Like with the incident a few minutes ago Auron didn’t even turn to look as he began to drift toward the next bend in the path. 

“Look not to others for knowledge. This is your journey, too.” Rikku pouted calling him a meanie before stomping back to Gatta. Tidus, having become used to Auron’s cryptic and often moody behaviors, just shook his head and walked over to the wall. 

“Auron’s right you know.” He said just loud enough for the others to hear him. “This is our story. All of us have to make the journey.” He lifted a hand and ran it through the blue mist of energy when Harry suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him, his face a mask of pure panic. 

“No! Tidus don’t….!” He never had time to finish the sentence when something grabbed hold of Tidus’s mind and dragged him away. To the others, it was as if he had just blanked out and Harry ran over to where had fallen only to have his eyes roll back into his head and pass out, his body sprawling across Tidus while everyone else began to panic around them. Not far off Auron waited, watching with no little surprise as Harry went down too. 

“Interesting.” He murmured and continued to watch.


	19. A City That Never Sleeps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truths as spoken in a dream.

When Tidus came too he had a pounding headache and when he opened his eyes it was to find a veritable sea of stars stretching for miles around in any way he cared to look. One hand going to cradle his head he didn’t realize that the other was caught on something. Looking down to see what the problem was he found Harry, passed out on his chest. The hand changed course and he carefully sat up, shaking the Summoners shoulder. 

“Hey, Harry, wake up.” The other teen stirred and green eyes blinked open before they peered up at him blearily. Still half out of it Harry looked around at their surroundings and his thoughts and memories of before he’d passed out returned in a nearly overwhelming flood. His surprised gasp made Tidus look up and the blonde was unable to suppress a gasp of his own. 

“Zanarkand.” He breathed under his breath before he looked down to Harry, his eyes dancing. “We’re in Zanarkand!” His elation was crushed however when he saw the look on Harry’s face. 

“Harry?” Green eyes turned away from him and Harry began to walk down the dock. Tidus followed, taking a closer look at his surroundings before he realized with a jolt just where he was. They where standing on the residential docks close to the blitz stadium in Zanarkand and right in front of them was a familiar house boat that Tidus had lived in for every day of his life.

He was home.

But as his eyes drank in the sight he realized with a shock that it didn’t quite feel so much like home anymore. Even so, he was only half aware of Harry following quietly along behind him as he wondered toward the door that lead bellow deck and gave it a push. It swung open on silent hinges and he was treated to the gut wrenching sight of the place he’d left, exactly as it was the day sin had attacked. There was a bundle of clothes crammed to one corner of the couch and a towel slung over the back of a chair. Trophies for various blitz tournaments lined the shelves to the right of the door and the portal that lead to his own room was open, the posters half visible in the flickering light of the projected computer screens that lined the living room. Moving toward the center he half expected to see his mother or Auron wonder through, but it never happened. The place was empty and its occupants weren’t here.

**“Welcome home.”** A strangely familiar voice said from behind and he turned slowly to find a small child sitting crouched with his arms around his knees in the space between Harry and himself, the Summoner having stopped by the door to watch him. Pyreflies drifted gently around the new arrival and Tidus suddenly remembered who and what he was. It was the Fayth from the temple of Bevelle. 

“You…?” Tidus began softly but he trailed off when the boy turned his face toward him. Even though his eyes weren’t visible in the shadows of his cowl his mouth curled in the beginnings of a bitter smile. 

**“Ahh, you remember me.”** He said in a tone that was far to knowing to belong to a child. Bahmut’s Fayth turned his head toward Harry who stared at both of them, the faint expression of horror giving way to a helpless look that Tidus knew had no right to be there. **“This isn’t the first time we’ve met though. I’ve known about you for a long time. A long, long time.”** Tidus shivered involuntarily at the tone of his voice. 

“For some reason… I think I knew you to.” He shook his head, trying to clear the overwhelming fog of thoughts that had filled it. “Where are we?” He asked abruptly and looked around again. The boy on the floor chuckled and began to fade slightly. 

**“Silly, don’t you recognize your own home?”** He vanished completely in a burst of pyrefiles and Tidus looked around frantically, trying to see where he’d gone, instead he found himself looking at a shade of Gatta, staring past him and not seeing the dream. 

“What’s gotten into you guys? Please wake up!” He vanished and second later Rikku appeared by Harry, pleading with him to wake up. 

“Wait…” Tidus suddenly realized why this place seemed so surreal. “This is a dream.” 

**“Precisely.”** Tidus span around again, and faintly registered the Fayth running down the ramp from the font door as he came face to face with another figment of the dream, but this was one he’d never met before. He looked a little like Wakka but instead of the islander’s usual yellow uniform he wore a dark tunic and pants layered over by pieces of leather amour and at his hip was a large Katana. Behind him a big black dog trotted into view and like it’s owner it was surrounded by lazily drifting pyreflies. 

“A dream?” Tidus asked in deadpan. “Are you crazy?” The later part holding far more emotion as he sent a desperate look at Harry. The Summoner was still in the same place but now he was glaring as hard as he could at the newcomer who had the grace to look like he was sorry. Tidus was beginning to wonder when he looked at the kid. 

“We don’t have the time to be dreaming now.” The blonde continued, determined to leave. 

**“You’re wrong.”** The child said, shaking his head sadly. **“It’s not that you’re dreaming. You are a dream.”** After what felt like an eternity the words finally sank in and Tidus stared in shock as Harry finally exploded. 

“DON’T SAY THAT!” He raged, glaring at both Fayth now. 

“Harry.” The red head put up his hands in front of him as he tried to placate him. “I told you before…” He was cut off a moment later when a spell streaked through the air and the Fayth vanished in a successful attempt to dodge. 

“I know what you told me and you know better than anyone Ron that I will do everything I can to stop it!” Harry’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he span and dashed out the door. More flares of multicolored light indicated he’d found his target again. Shaking off his stupor Tidus dashed outside and noticed Harry determinedly arguing with the stranger, clutching his staff in a convulsive grip as he spoke, as if he was trying to decide whether or not to blast the strange Fayth or just club him over the head. 

**“Long ago, there was a war.”** Tidus sent one last look at Harry before he climbed the stairs to the upper deck, he knew somewhere deep down that the kid could give him some answers. 

“It was the machina war, wasn’t it?” The Fayth nodded in response. 

**“Yes. A war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Bevelle’s machina assured their victory from the start. Spira had never seen such power. The Summoners of Zanarkand didn’t stand a chance. Zanarkand was doomed to oblivion. That’s why we tried to save it – if only in a memory.”** Tidus thought about that, it made a strange kind of sense…

“Is it true?” He asked suddenly and the Fayth looked at him confused. “Is it true that Zanarkand was created because it was Harry’s dream? It that why there where Summoners in Zanarkand?” The Fayth looked at him oddly but nodded. 

**“Yes. Zanarkand was created from a dream. Many remembered the sacrifices of the Master Summoner and sought to equal him. They almost worshiped him and many followed in his footsteps.”** The boy went silent and Tidus looked at the distant buildings that glowed in the darkness of the night. The blonde waved a vague hand at the scene. 

“So what did you do?” He asked, referring to the dream around them. 

**“The remaining Summoners and the townspeople that survived the war… they all became Fayth – Fayth for the summoning.”** Tidus could feel a weight in his stomach that grew more and more heavy with every passing moment. 

“You mean… this dream?” He asked after a long moment of silence and the Fayth nodded. 

**“A Zanarkand that never sleeps.”** Tidus couldn’t help the gasp that escaped him. 

“What?” The Fayth gave off the impression of being utterly blank as he continued to speak. 

**“The dreams of the Fayth summoned the memories of the city. They summoned all the building, all the people who lived there.”**

“The people…” Tidus began to back away from him in horror. “What, they’re all dreams? I’m a dream?” The weight in his stomach became heavier and his eyes where wide as the Fayth turned toward him. 

**“Yes, you’re a dream of the Fayth. You, your father, your mother, everyone, All dreams. And if the fayth stop dreaming…”**

Suddenly the beautiful city of light was gone and Tidus found himself looking out at a wasteland. Crumbled ruins and murky water stared back at him and the sky was stained blood red and scared in a way that chilled him to the bone. 

Everything was gone.

“No…NO!” He screamed in denial as the sight melted away, back into the nighttime city but the view was spoiled by the terrible knowledge. He was a dream… it hurt more than he’d ever admit especially with what the Fayth said next. 

**“We’ve been dreaming so long… We’re tired.”** For the first time since this whole incident had begun the boy actually sounded like a child, like a lost little boy who only wanted to go home and take a nap. **“Would you and your father… would you let us rest? Both you and your father have been touched by Sin. Sin, the one whom all Spira – the spiral – revolves.”** Even with the pain that was growing along with his thoughts Tidus still asked the question. 

“What are you saying?” 

**“You two are more than just dreams now.”** The pain ebbed slightly as hope shot through him but the Fayth’s last words shot it down. 

**“Just a little more, and maybe… Maybe you are the dream that will end our dreaming at last.”** Tidus gave him a hurt look that amplified the nearly tangible feeling that permeated the air around him. 

“Harry knew, didn’t he.” The blonde looked about and noticed that the other Fayth was gone. The boy on the deck beside him frowned again. 

**“Yes, the Master Summoner was informed. I will admit, we Fayth did not foresee your growing attachment to each other.”** Tidus nearly outright scowled at that but didn’t say another word. The Fayth gave him what could have been an apologetic expression before Tidus closed his eyes, and when he opened them again the light was different and all he could hear was someone crying. Quickly sitting up he ignored the worried faces and questions and immediately found the source of the crying. His Summoner must have woken before him since he was now by the wall, his knees drawn to his chest and his head in his arms, his robes falling into disarray around him as Rikku vainly tried to get him to speak with her. Tidus faintly registered that the crying was only mental before he scrambled to his feet and rushed over, easily hoisting the Summoner up into his arms and holding him as tight as he could. The others looked on in confusion as Tidus picked him up completely and nodded along the path. 

“Let’s go.” And with a very Auron like behavior he strode off down the path, steadfastly ignoring the Fayth around them. The others followed in various states of confusion that seemed to be the trend these days. Sure, they knew small things, but the three who knew of the bigger picture weren’t telling. 

I was all they could do to wonder along in their wake. 

 

\----------------------------------------------

 

After days of wondering the caves the tempers of a few where beginning to run short. It hadn’t taken all that long really to get to the cave system and the trip across the mountain really didn’t take more than a day or two, but as things turned out, they where stuck in the caves for an extra day, picking their way through Fiends and traps that littered the path. More than once they’d been required to backtrack the way they’d come to get around an obstacle. Add to that the fact that tensions where running high even before they’d entered the caves and it was with great relief that they greeted the weak light that filtered down to them from the exit just below the summit on the other side. 

However, just before they stepped out from the shadows Auron made an offhand comment that put them on their guard. 

“She knows we are coming.” The few who heard slowed to a stop and looked at the older man warily. “She will send more fiends to test our strength before the Summoners meet her.” Understanding dawned in Tidus’s expression before he deflated slightly. 

“Oh, Her.” Yuna, who had been lagging behind the others for most of the day suddenly entered the conversation. 

“Um, who is ‘She’.” The female Summoner inquired, curiosity getting the better of her. 

“Yunalesca.” Auron said slowly and the listeners could swear they heard a faint undertone of bitterness accompanying the name.

“Lady Yunalesca?” Yuna gasped out, sounding more than a little awed. Seemingly in the mood to share what he knew Auron continued to explain as he began to walk toward the mouth of the cave once more. 

“In Zanarkand she awaits the arrival of the strongest.” Yuna seemed to blink out her daze slightly a few minutes later. 

“Is she really still alive?” 

“As much as Mika or Seymour.” Auron responded in deadpan and off to one side, walking between O'aka and the wall, Harry snorted. Somehow he wasn’t in the least surprised that the woman was already dead. After all, she had been the first Summoner to take on Sin with the Final Summoning and it was a very well known fact by now that Summoners plus the Final Summoning equals dead Summoner. 

“Oh, I see…” Yuna trailed off looking slightly abashed. Auron let slip with what could have been a snicker.

“Lost your nerve?” Mismatched eyes where determined as she looked up defiantly, seemingly throwing off the awkward cloud of confusion and frustration she’d been carrying around for days. 

“No,” She proclaimed loudly. “Nothing frightens me anymore.” Auron merely raised an eyebrow but turned his attention elsewhere as they came within the last few feet of the exit. He tipped his head to one side as he stepped into the wan light and almost absentmindedly shouldered his oversized blade. His lips twisted in a bitter smirk as he straightened and settled into a familiar ready stance. 

“It comes.” Then, right on queue, a fiend emerged from nowhere. Standing on its hind legs it threw back its scaled head and let out a roar that shook the mountain. Crashing back down on all fours it snarled at them the pearl gray flesh and scales glittering with power. It also appeared to resemble a dragon in some aspects, except far more rounded. The wings protruding from its back looked more like feelers than anything else and its face, or muzzle, was concealed mostly by a bone mask and horns that gave it a rather menacing appearance. 

Having been wary since Auron had designed to warn them weapons came to their hands easily as Rikku, Auron and Tidus took the fore. The Sanctuary Keeper, didn’t wait any longer than that before it charged them with a violently loud roar, but before it could hit them straight on it dug its feet into the earth, the abrupt stop giving its hindquarters the momentum to swing around and belt the three melee fighters into a rugged cliff face. It continued the spin, pulling up its legs and came up into a ready position in a display of agility and speed that one wouldn’t really expect from a creature that size. 

Lulu and O'aka brought them the time to recover from the attack by pelting it with second and third level spells as often as they could while Gatta just held down his finger on the trigger of his gun, but the nearly constant stream of metal didn’t really seem to be having any significant effect. Rikku pulled herself to her feet grumbling under her breath as the others all rushed into the fray once more. She wondered to the back of the fighting and sat down heavily on a rock. She wasn’t one for fighting in open combat like this, she was a thief by trade and she wasn’t all that strong, so she couldn’t do the damage Tidus and Auron did every time they picked up a blade. She watched as they rushed toward the head after it had been hit by a rather nasty Thundaga spell and take a swipe that opened a cut down the side of the dragons armored face. Dark blood dribbled sluggishly from the wound as it snapped out and narrowly missed Tidus and he sprang away. 

But the hit had angered the other dragon and its attacks where becoming increasingly more accurate. The Guardians where put on the defensive and scattered in an attempt to dodge but it didn’t seem to be helping. Rikku was forced to leave her rock a minute later when it’s wings flared out to their full length and released a barrage of energy beams that honed in on everyone standing on the wide ledge. Yuna slipped close to the edge of the cliff but Kimahri caught her before she could fall while Tidus grabbed Harry and shielded him with his own body until the worst of the attack had faded before running in close once more. Rikku began to think hard, she wanted to help but there wasn’t much she could do… unless. Her hand plunged into the holster strapped to her thigh. Throughout the trip she had been stealing all kinds of small items off the fiends. They where useful little ingredients that alone, couldn’t do much in the way of damage, but when mixed together in certain ways, they could have spectacular results. 

Somewhere in the back ground she registered Harry begin a summoning and the accompanying burst of wind associated with Godric, but she tuned it out as she rummaged through the pouch for the items needed for what she had in mind. A smoke bomb, a power sphere and two glittering black gems that where normally very hard to come by. Working quickly she dismantled the smoke bomb and placed the power sphere inside before rebuilding it with a skill of an accomplished mechanic. The new chaos grenade and the two gems in hand she rushed to join the others just as Godric was knocked back to the summoning plain by a powerful mana beam that had engulfed everything in its path. 

“FIRE IN THE HOLE!” Rikku yelled as loudly as she could over the noise as she hurled the Chaos Grenade. It rolled under the head and the sanctuary keeper didn’t even glance at it, but already aware of what was coming the Guardians and Summoners escaped the range of the blast just as the enhanced creation exploded in the monsters face. She faintly heard Gatta cheering her on in the background as the dragon stumbled around the ledge, blinded for the moment, but Rikku didn’t wait for it to recover. She tightened her grip on the two black gems and they crushed easily into dust activating the spells within. She waved her arm and released the powder, the wind blowing it toward the Sanctuary keeper and making it stick, then without wasting another second she turned and ran back towards the caves. 

You see, the black gems, more commonly known as the supreme gem, simulated the effects and damage of the most powerful destructive spell in existence, Ultima. But, given that she’d crushed two of the gems, the potency had been doubled and the explosion that followed rocked the mountain. The dragon screeched in pain as the raw power ripped through its scales and seared away the flesh beneath. It stumbled again and teetered precariously on the edge of the cliff before Harry whispered to Gatta and the other fifteen year old guardian took aim, letting off one more shot right into the beast’s side, giving it the final nudge that sent it tumbling down the cliff, parts of its body exploding into pyreflies as they where torn off until the keeper finally skidded to a stop on one of the lower slopes of the mountain. Everything was eerily quiet as they watched it fade from existence then, once it was gone, everyone looked at her. 

“Remind me never to piss you off, ever!” Harry’s comment broke the tension and O'aka gave out a short cheer as Gatta nearly tackled her in a hug before he abruptly let go and backed away, blushing. Tidus snickered and Yuna’s group just stared rather dumfounded before Rikku perked up. 

“Hey! If we go down the path some more we should be able to see the other side!” She babbled and grabbed Gatta by the arm before dragging him off. Her enthusiasm rubbed off on the others and they quickly followed until only three where left standing where the battle had taken place minutes before. 

Harry had his head down, examining the scorch marks that decorated the stone, Auron and Tidus standing either side of him. 

“We’re almost there…” Tidus let his eyes stray to the path where the others had gone and Harry gave an involuntary shiver at the thought. 

“We’ve come a long way.” Auron said, a smirk pulling at his lips. Tidus looked up at him with a wary eye. 

“What’s so funny?” He asked and the Older man just smiled. 

“You remind me of myself.” Tidus tipped his head to one side, a slightly disbelieving expression on his face. “Before, the closer I came to Zanarkand, the more I thought… ‘When we arrive, Braska will call the Final Aeon. He will fight Sin, then die.’ I thought my mind was made up long before. But when I stood here, my resolve wavered.” 

“I wanted to change the world, but in the end I changed nothing. That is my story.” Harry’s expression shuttered as he spoke those words, they where an echo of what he was feeling. Something in him screamed at him not to go around the mountain. He feared that if he did, the journey would end like it had for hundreds of other Summoners, in the ruins of Zanarkand. The three of them had already agreed on their path of action. They would go to Yunalesca and destroy her since she was all that mattered for now. To stop the spiral of death you had to stop the cause and in the end it came down to two things. Sin and the Final Summoning. 

But neither Harry nor Tidus could bring themselves to take the next step. 

“ARE YOU GUYS COMING OR WHAT!?” Rikku’s yell from ahead shook them out of their individual thoughts and a mask slid over Harry’s features as he waved back. 

“WE’LL BE RIGHT THERE RIKKU!” Auron seemed to think he’d lingered enough and he nodded shortly before he moved on up the trail. Committed to following the rest Harry and Tidus shared one last look. They didn’t need words, or even to read each other’s mind to know what the other was thinking. 

_Do you think this is goodbye? Don’t even dare think that! But if we go it will all be over. It’s never over. But I will fade. No you won’t, I won’t let you. Then why are we still here?_

Harry broke the eye contact with a sigh and turned toward the path. Tidus fell into step behind him and together they walked toward the last chapter of their story.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------

 

The sun was beginning to set behind the ruins as they approached the guardians and Yuna. They where all scattered along the path at intervals, all taking in the sight of the sinking sun and the city that had been dead for more than a thousand years. The flutter of apprehension that had sat heavily in Tidus’s stomach began to drain away as he let his eyes wonder across the ruins. 

This wasn’t his Zanarkand, nor was it the hellish vision of destruction that he had seen in the dream of the Fayth. It was merely a pile of stones shaped like the Zanarkand he had once been a part of. 

_‘But wouldn’t that mean you where never a part of Zanarkand at all?’_ a rebellious voice whispered at the back of his mind. He squashed the thought and buried it deep so it wouldn’t come back to whisper to him. He didn’t need to hear it now. The ruins did look beautiful on a background of oranges, reds and yellows. Even high up on the mountain side they could hear the gentle lap of the ocean waves breaking against the rock and sand. Tidus could feel the peaceful air around the ruins as well as the immense feeling of sadness that came from stones that had seen so much in their long lifetime. 

They all moved along the path as it opened out and wound down the side of the mountain. There where no fiends and for a moment they could relax. The ruins rose up around them, the lower they got into they found themselves by the sea’s edge, looking out at a familiar structure that Tidus could still remember in all it’s glory. 

It was the Blitz stadium, the one he’d been playing in when Sin had destroyed his world. 

“We’ll rest here.” He heard Auron speaking behind him as he drifted up an embankment to get a better look. Harry joined him shortly after as the others settled around a recently built fire all of them caught up in their own thoughts about the quiet world around them. O'aka passed out the food he had with him and shared it around but up on the embankment neither Harry or Tidus took any notice, they where planning, planning the assault on a figure of myth who refused to fade into history like the others. 

They where going to fight Yunalesca, Sin and anyone else who stood in their path, and win.

That was their story.


	20. Memories Stuck Beyond Time.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally reach their destination

Night had fallen by the time they where ready to move. The stars shone brightly above the city and they felt more determined than they had in a long time as they set out along the familiar broken roadways. Tidus laughed to himself, half expecting to see a billboard with his father’s face on it, but they didn’t. Some of the Fiends had wondered down from the mountain over time and had grown large in the ruins, great purple Behmoths and great jelly like darkness flans made the trip more dangerous than it aught to have been but they took on every monster, confident that they could win, each guardian having been through the revelations that they had what it took to succeed. 

Pyreflies danced in the air around them and where they flew the city glowed, their lights bringing out the Illusion of that it had all been like before as Tidus opened his mind and let it fill the gaps. Harry walked in the middle of the group with Yuna who had been quiet ever since Tidus’s harsh words on the mountainside after the battle with Seymour. 

“…I don’t think I can do this.” Harry heard her whispering and looked to the side. She had her head down, watching the ground as she stepped over and around obstructions in the path. Harry raised an eyebrow. 

“Do what?” He asked and Yuna jumped, startled that anyone had actually been listening. She blushed before she waved a hand around her. 

“This!” She said in the same low tone. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I heard you and Tidus talking. Will you really try to destroy Lady Yunalesca?” Harry was momentarily taken aback by the demand but didn’t let it show on his face. He turned to look at their destination, the Blitz stadium he now recognized, just like Tidus had, even if he’d only been there for a little while as it came down around him. 

“…Yes.” He answered her last question. “I never followed the beliefs you where raised with. To me this whole system is corrupt, messy and totally unnecessary. People got along on their own, long before Yevon came about. There are three beats that the entirety of humanity dances too and two of those have already passed.” At this Yuna looked confused once more. 

“Three beats?” Harry couldn’t keep a small smirk off his face as he looked out at the ruins. It was an old theory, one that was continually proven with most major events in history. He’d seen it working at least once, but on a far smaller scale than now. The three steps where War, Peace and Revolution, in that order. An example would be Voldemort. He had risen to power quickly and terrorized the wizarding community until the fateful day he had been defeated by a kid who wasn’t even out of diapers. Then had come the ten years of relative peace until Voldemort had risen again, triggering change and the second war, starting the cycle over. 

He never did answer her question aloud, instead choosing to look at the skies. Here in the north, far from all forms of civilization the sea of stars seemed endless. They shone so brightly it felt as though he could reach out and touch them. Sorting through the masses he felt a pang of nostalgia, the only other place he had seen the stars so clearly was Hogwarts and more specifically, in the great hall. On a clear night, the enchanted ceiling seemed to magnify the stars showing the constellations and even the edges of a distant galaxy, far clearer than what was visible from the atmosphere. Harry felt a smile creep over his lips as one star in particular jumped out at him. 

Sirius.

It twinkled merrily in the sea of light and Harry could imagine his godfather behind that twinkling star, cheering them on with every step that took them closer to their ultimate goal. At the thought he couldn’t help but feel somewhat lighter. All to soon they arrived before the ominous domed structure and the whispered chatter between the guardians came to an abrupt halt. 

There, waiting by the entry was an old man, dressed in the robes of a preist, but these where very different from those of the preist’s of Yevon. His back hunched with age the old man took a few halting steps toward them as they stopped in formation at the bottom of the ramp, Harry’s group hanging back slightly. 

“Journeyer’s of the long road! Name yourselves!” Yuna, already knowing what to do bowed deeply. 

“I am Summoner Yuna. I have come from the Island of Besaid.” The old man peered at her from under bushy white eyebrows and muttered out loud.

“Your eyes, my dear. They show me the long road you have traveled.” Yuna didn’t say anything, simply meeting his gaze stoically. The old man nodded in approval. “Very good. You have journeyed well. Lady Yunalesca will surely welcome your arrival. Go to her now, and bring you guardians with you. Go.” He didn’t move but Yuna nodded and her group threaded past him and into the dome. The old man peered shortsightedly down the ramp and Harry found himself taking a few tentive steps toward him. He squinted, looking at his features intently, trying to place where he had seen them before. 

“And you, Summoner…?” The old priest inquired and Harry frowned, where had he… Tidus gave him a mental prod and Harry shook himself out of his musings. 

“Oh, I am Master Summoner Harry Potter, First Summoner of Hogwarts.” The old man looked at him for a moment before the name appeared to sink in and all of a sudden his expression changed. 

“Bless my soul… Harry?” Harry got an intense feeling of de’ja vu. He knew this person! 

“… Dennis?” The old man’s eyes lit up with an energy that belied his appearance. 

“Harry!” He croaked out and moved forward, reaching out to touch him, to feel that he was really there. They locked gazes and slowly the childish expression of awe on the old man’s face became more and more pronounced. “It’s really you!” He gasped out and Harry couldn’t help the small smile that flitted across his face. 

“Yeah, It’s me…” He answered somewhat weakly and Dennis Creevy, now aged at well over a couple of thousand years let the first grin cross his features in what had to be nearly as long. At least since his brother’s last visit but Collin was wondering around Spira under an assumed name these days, but right now, Dennis felt more complete than he had in years. 

“I knew, I knew you weren’t dead.” He babbled in a manner that was at odds with his rather stately appearance. “Collin didn’t believe it either but you’ve been here the whole time haven’t you.” Harry looked down at his hands and nodded.

“Yeah.” He said quietly. “There really wasn’t anything left after…” He trailed off but the ancient wizard seemed to understand. He nodded along with the Summoner’s word’s before seemingly brightening. 

“Oh Harry! I wish you could have been here sooner! We built this place you know, it was built for you. We all remembered what you told us, but now it’s gone…” Dennis looked quite saddened as his withered face turned to look out at the ruins. Harry closed his eyes and shook his head, another smile creeping on his lips. 

“It’s okay Dennis. I can see it.” The old man stopped his childish rambling and simply smiled before he nodded. 

“Very well then, I think Lady Yunalesca is waiting. You’ll want to be careful though, I think she was descended from Malfoy.” The last bit had been hissed behind a hand in such a way that made Harry laugh. Dennis seemed pleased with himself before he looked around at the others. He met their gazes before nodding in approval but didn’t move aside for them to pass, instead he looked at Harry again. 

“Uh… before you go… might you…?” He trailed off once more but the question of what he wanted him to do was more than clear as a few pyreflies formed around him. Harry wasn’t at all surprised at the revelation and offered a nod. Dennis Creevy smiled one last time, but it didn’t leave his face after. “Say hello to Collin for me when you see him Harry.” He croaked out around the grin as Harry stood back and began the opening moves of the sending. “It was an honor to see you again Master Summoner.” 

If he’d heard Harry gave no indication as he continued the simplified version of the dance. One that did not hold the same heart wrenching sadness or the same kind of power used in the mass sendings they’d seen previously. As Harry made the final twirl of his staff the old man seemed to regress, the pyreflies leaving him one by one until only a small ghost of a grinning little boy, swamped in an oversized moleskin overcoat remained. 

_‘I’ll tell everyone you said Hi.’_

And just like that, he was gone. Harry continued to stare at the spot where he had stood, smiling to himself before Auron cleared his throat loudly behind him. Harry didn’t jump at the sound but beckoned the others forward. 

“Lets go get Yunalesca, shall we?” His words, however flippant, brought the reality of the situation crashing back and they all wore grim expressions, their hands lingering over weapons as they began to make their way up the ramp and into the shadow of the dome. It was time to lay the dead to rest.

 

\-----------------------------------------------

 

The inside of the Zanarkand dome was lit with pyreflies as they entered. The faint light of the stars filtered down through the cracks in the roof and they could easily pick their way along the wreckage through the gloom. Footsteps echoed with surprising clarity and they could hear Summoner Yuna walking ahead of them. 

“Hey Harry… who was that?” Rikku spoke up as they found a piece of wreckage that had probably been a pillar and used it to scramble across to a larger, flatter section. Harry skipped down after her, avoiding holes in the stonework. 

“That was an old friend.” He answered, a smile forming over his face. “Dennis Creevy. He and his brother Collin attended Hogwarts at the same time I did. In the beginning they used to annoy me to death, and Collin even went as far as to follow me around with a camera for his first few years in the school.” 

“Ye mean to say, you knew that old fellow back there when ‘e was a kid?” O'aka queried as he heard the conversation. Harry nodded. 

“Yeah...” His voice trailed off a second later though as a light flashed and suddenly they found themselves looking at another group of people. They looked like crusaders, all of them wearing some form of armor. One crusader standing off to the side stepped toward the woman in the center and saluted. 

_“If it might benefit the future of Spira…”_ her voice echoed through the air around them, dulled like the voices they could hear in a recording sphere. _“I will gladly give my life. It is the highest honor for which a guardian might ask.”_ Her expression was visible through the apparition and Harry could see her look soften. _“Use my life, Lady Yocun, and rid Spira of Sin.”_ As she saluted once more the shadows of their predecessors faded, the pyrefiles that had made them vanishing in to the gloom. 

“She said, ‘Lady Yocun’, didn’t she?” Gatta asked, looking around at them with something like awe in his eyes. “She guarded High Summoner Yocun!” Auron smirked at his expression. 

“This dome, as you can already see, is filled with pyreflies,” The older guardian explained and the others listened carefully. “It resembles a gigantic sphere, peoples thoughts can and will remain here. Forever.” Even as he spoke there was another burst of pyreflies coming together and an illusion appeared like a ripple along the stands, creating an audience of thousands that stared down into the central arena. In the center was a transparent platform and on it where much younger versions of the Creevy brothers, what looked to be a Weasley and a few other distinguished looking muggles and wizards. 

_“… we welcome you all to the opening of the Zanarkand Dome! And now! The moment you’ve all been waiting for! Let the First Harry Potter Memorial Blitzball Tournament, begin!”_ The crowd burst into roars of approval as the pyreflies dispersed once more. His guardians looked at him in various stages of shock, amusement and incredulity as Harry raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. 

“Whoa…” Rikku breathed out a moment later as the shock began to wear off. “You where certainly popular.” Harry sighed and Tidus began to laugh at the long mental stream of curses. 

Similar visions of the past, remembered by the pyreflies for all those thousands of years showed up, including the sight of a young Seymour who openly wept as his mother said she would give her own life to help him. They were very close to the other side when they caught up with Yuna’s party. They had stopped to watch a scene playing out among three familiar figures. Braska, a younger Auron and…

“Jecht.” Tidus murmured but no one looked at him.

_“Hey, Braska.”_ Jecht said. _“You don’t have to do this.”_ Braska turned his head lightly to look at him from the corner of his eye. 

_“Thank you for your concern.”_ His voice held no hesitation. He had long since gathered his resolve to face the end. Jecht made a face, he didn’t look like he agreed but he didn’t argue either. 

_“Fine. I said my piece.”_ Auron looked from Braska to Jecht, an incredulous expression on his face. 

_“Well I haven’t!”_ He all but yelled, stepping closer to Braska, his face a mask of pain. _“Lord Braska, lets us go back! I don’t want to see you die!”_ Braska turned fully and looked at the former monk and through him to the older Auron who watched with a blank expression. 

_“You knew this would happen my friend.”_

_“Yes, but I…”_ Auron’s shoulders slumped in dejection. _“I cannot accept it.”_ Braska smiled back at his guardian, but it was a smile full of sorrow. 

_“Auron, I am honored that you care for me so. But I have come to kill grief itself. I will defeat Sin, and lift the veil of sorrow covering Spira. Please understand, Auron.”_

It was then that the vision ended and Harry couldn’t help but look their Auron. His face was still blank but it didn’t hide the old air of sadness around him. Yuna and the others had moved on and they did to. Following the trail that ran through the long hallway that ran beneath the stands, clear of debris. In some places the stairs had crumbled away and in others rubble blocked the entries of numerous side corridors that ran like a maze, half crumbled over time but somewhat intact, like the Via Purifico. Ahead of them at the entry of the temple, a new illusion had formed the three figures they’d seen outside. They stood side by side at the doorway, hesitating to go down the stairs beyond. 

_“Are the trials ahead?”_ Jecht was the first to break the silence. 

_“Probably.”_ Braska replied shortly. 

_“Here too, huh? Gimme a break. I was expecting, you know, parades and… fireworks!”_ Jecht made an attempt to smile and from behind Tidus growled faintly and shook his head. 

‘The same old Jecht.’ He thought to himself with a surprising lack of venom to it. 

_“You can ask for them after I defeat Sin, then.”_ Braska replied in a soft voice they nearly had to strain to hear. Then, without another word they turned to the door and vanished. 

“…We’re here.” Auron murmured quietly and they looked down the stairs. Yuna gave a hesitant look between the door and Harry who was standing quietly in the back before she stepped away. 

“Yuna?” Lulu’s voice held an enquiring tone, but the female Summoner kept her head down. 

“You go.” She said at last, the comment directed at Harry. Green eyes looked up in surprise but Yuna didn’t meet them. In a very quiet voice she answered the unspoken question that hung in the air.

“…I… I think I knew, from before I met you, that I wouldn’t be able to defeat Sin.” Lulu and Wakka gasped in surprise. Harry’s head tipped to one side in silent confusion. What was she going on about? The ashen brown haired girl was gripping her staff with white knuckles. “I’ve tried so hard to try and tell myself that I could do it, then you came and I now I think I understand what I’ve been feeling all this time. You go… and we’ll watch behind.” Now everyone was staring at her. Wakka was spluttering indignantly at her words. 

“But Yuna, we came all dis way… for nothin’?” The girl shook her head hard. 

“No!” She protested. “Not nothing.” Finally looking up she held the same expression of determination that the memory of Braska had worn, a stubborn look that spoke volumes toward her resolve. “I believe Sin will be defeated soon, I’m more sure of this than I’ve ever been. I believe you can do it, Summoner Harry and I will do everything I can to help you.” It was with a start that Harry realized that this was the first time since she had discovered his identity that she hadn’t used his full title to address him. She was deadly serious about every word she said. 

He looked over at the entry to the trials and took a few steps toward it, his hand loosely clasped behind him as he looked down, his eyes reflecting his turbulent thoughts. Tidus made a small noise of confusion at one point, staring at Harry’s back. He seemed to get upset before the emotion was pushed away and the blonde nodded to himself before backing down. 

The other’s wished, not for the first time, that they could hear the silent conversations that passed between the Summoner and his Guardian. Yuna looked at him, a faint hope rising in her expression as Harry finally spoke. 

“So, another Summoner would become a Guardian simply because she could feel it?” Everyone looked a little more than startled as he said this and Yuna nodded determinedly. 

“I want to help.” She stated with a tone of finality. “Nothing else matter’s anymore.”

Harry rolled his eyes as he turned back. 

“Even if it means leaving everything else behind?” Another nod and Harry felt himself grinning. 

“Alright then! Come on, we have a Malfoy to discipline.” He span around quickly and dashed into the darkness with a laugh. Yuna and her guardians (Now Harry’s guardians) stared in shock after him as his original Guardians moved toward the stairs. Rikku snickered before she grabbed Gatta and O'aka and went to find Harry. Auron followed them to make sure they didn’t destroy something and Tidus came to a stop in front of Yuna as she became aware once more. He looked at her like he was peering into her soul before he turned around.

“You heard him.” He grunted out stopping expectantly by the entrance to the trials. Lulu moved without hesitation, followed by Yuna, Kimahri close behind her. Finally there was just Wakka. The red head looked from the door to the blonde and back, making unintelligible noises as he did so before he came to a stop and slumped hopelessly. 

“I’m not gonna have a choice, ain’t I.” He said after seeing Lulu and Yuna follow so easily. 

Tidus just laughed. 

 

\-----------------------------------------

 

The first room of the trials had been pitch black until they had passed the doorway and suddenly it was lit by the dim lighting of generators that had long since failed to work to their full capacity. On the opposite wall from the door an ancient television screen flickered to life and in the haze of static they could just make out the multicolored geometric shapes that where displayed. 

“Ohhhh.” Rikku looked rather awed at the use of machina and stepped out onto the floor to get a better look but as she did so the floor suddenly lit up. With a tiny shriek she jumped away and they all looked down to find a pattern of squares lit up bright turquoise green on the smoky gray glass floor beneath their feet. When they looked carefully they could see faint glimmers on some of the tiles around them and they stepped away from the green shape only to have it go dark. 

“We need to stand on the tiles to light them up…” Harry murmured, stepping on the glittering tile again so the shape lit up, stepping back had the same effect as before and the light faded. “But if we get off them, they go dark…” He looked at the screen and then at the floor before going to the next glittering tile and stepping on that. He smiled, understanding the simple challenge. 

“Everybody step on the glowing tiles until we’ve found the ones on the screen!” He ordered and they went to it. Before long they’d found the necessary tiles and they chimed, playing a few simple bars of the Hymn of the Fayth. That seemed to be a signal and the ruins gave a faint tremor before a panel opened into the back wall. The next room of the trials was much the same as the first, but instead of just random shapes, the screen displayed a pattern that had to be made. It was a long a tedious task, especially when the power that made them run flickered, resetting the magical floor grid. 

Eventually they finished it and the large circular hole in the center of the floor was unsealed. The eight or so guardians sidled up to it and peered down into the darkness of the next level, apprehensive as to what they would find. They heard a few distant strains of music before their world suddenly tipped out of focus. A bright flash of light overtook them and they found themselves standing on a ring of transparent platforms. 

“What’s happening?” Gatta yelled out in confusion from his place atop a platform. There was another flash and only six remained in the ring. The other four having been transported to large floating rocks that had appeared as the real world had faded. A frightening abyss stretched on forever around them but they did not have the time to examine their surroundings as something began to emerge from the center of the ring. 

Rising up from where the entry to the next level would have been had they still been in Zanarkand was a fearsome creature. Its elongated body had no appendages other than a head and two long arms that ended in large wicked looking scythes of bone. Solid glowing eyes glared at the three guardians’ before it, seemingly ignoring those that stood outside its range of vision. There was an uneasy pause as they all stared, but then as if another unseen signal had been triggered the Spectral Keeper threw back its head and roared! 

The few that could covered their ears, desperately trying to block out the screech before they where all jarred into action as it lashed out at the three closest. Tidus leapt out of the way, straying dangerously close to the edge of his transparent platform as he did so. Auron managed to deflect the bulk of the damage with his bracer while Wakka was forced to duck. It was just luck that they weren’t hit by that swipe. 

Seeing that it was temporarily occupied Lulu, who had been standing on a platform behind the Keeper, charged a spell through her Moogle before letting it loose. A glow appeared somewhere below the beast and seconds later there was an explosion that rocked it, causing it to lash out violently from side to side as the Flare spell did its damage. The creature extended a scythed arm as it span around, landing a glancing blow on Wakka and just narrowly missing Rikku before it faced Lulu head on. 

The black mage took a step back in surprise at it’s speed and looked around for a way out when a stream of lead pumped into the beast’s side. It roared in fury and pain before the ground under Gatta’s feet began to glow with a strange Rune. He looked over at Harry for an explanation, looking oddly hopeless before the ground beneath him exploded violently. 

“Gatta!” Rikku yelled from her place on one of the six platforms. The distraction cost her dearly as the Spectral Keeper rounded on her, poisoned claws biting deep into her back. 

“Accio Rikku! Accio Gatta!” The two shot through the air as the others in the ring around the Fiend all began to attack at once, nearly driving the beast mad in their efforts to hurt it as much as possible. Meanwhile Harry lowered his two injured Guardians to the ground and waved his staff again. “Mobilcorpus.” 

Yuna shrieked as she was lifted bodily into the air and floated toward the large platform Harry stood on. After seeing two of his young friends going down like that O'aka jumped into the fray, yelling out a wizarding curse Harry had taught him. 

“EXPLODRA!” There was another great boom as the explosion curse hit and everyone had to look away as the remains of the Spectral Keeper’s head splattered to the ground around them. The others stared, somewhat stunned by the Black Mage’s actions as the world around them reverted back to the dimly lit room in the Cloister of Trials. The guardians that had been on the transparent platforms had in fact been standing on the seals around the hole while the others where standing at different places around the room. Even while he cast Curaga on Rikku for the second time Harry couldn’t help but smile at O'aka. The ex-merchant crossed his arms over his chest as the corpse of the fiend turned to pyreflies and nodded to himself in a self satisfied manner that had a rather sadistic undertone. Wakka just inched away from him, thinking that all Harry’s guardians where downright scary. 

He was so much like Ron when he was younger that if he didn’t already know that his first red haired guardian was squirreled away somewhere, bound to a piece of stone just like the other Fayth, he would have begun to believe the Theories of Reincarnation. 

As they picked themselves up after the fight there was a mechanical whir of motors and out of the hole emerged a platform. A smaller block of stone slid up from the side, creating a bridge connecting the platform to one of the large symbols. 

“I guess that’s the way down.” Harry murmured, more to himself than anyone else, yet, in the dead silence of the temple they all heard. Faint strains of music began to play somewhere in the distance. The Hymn of the Fayth could still be heard… even here. 

Taking a deep breath Harry moved out into the platform. It bobbed a little in the air as the others crammed themselves on behind him. This time, there where no nasty surprises waiting for them as the lift shuddered and began the decent. The plain gray stone of the shaft rose up around them and soon the dim light of the trials above flickered out, leaving them in darkness. Rikku and Gatta shifted restlessly as the ride seemed to take an eternity, but then, the elevator began to slow and a faint light appeared from below them. The walls gave way in front of Harry and the platform stopped smoothly, waiting for them to disembark. 

_“Huh? What do you mean, No Final Aeon?”_

They looked at each other when they heard the voice of Jecht ringing out from ahead and subconsciously quickened their pace, bursting out into another small room in time to see the the last of the Pyreflies from the most recent illusion disperse. However, below their feet, the mystery of what Jecht had been referring to was solved. 

Within a crystal stone, was a sweeping statue of the figure Harry remembered seeing in the temples. 

Lord Zaon. 

The stone was cracked beyond repair and the two Summoners could feel that the Fayth had long since left for the Farplane. 

“It isn’t a Fayth…” Yuna confirmed Harry’s thoughts. “Just an empty statue.” 

_“The statue lost it’s power as a Fayth long ago.”_ Harry looked up abruptly when he heard Dennis speaking from the other side of the broken stone but felt himself relax when he realized that this version of him really was just an old memory, the Pyreflies where merely trying to explain the unspoken questions with the absence of their old guide. _“It is Lord Zaon, the first Fayth of the Final Summoning. What you see before you is all that remains of him. Lord Zaon is… his soul is gone.”_

“Gone?” Wakka burst out as Harry’s original guardians, bar Auron, gained the sudden understanding of why. The memory held up a hand, not really interacting with his surroundings as he stared dead ahead. 

_“Fear not,”_ He answered a question from some invisible Summoner of the past. _“Lady Yunalesca will show you the path, the Final Aeon will be yours. The Summoner and the Final Aeon will join powers. Go to her now, inside, the Lady awaits.”_ With that the memory bowed and turned, vanishing through the wall behind him. The Pyreflies vanished as well leaving them alone. 

“So that is why Jecht became what he became.” O'aka muttered more to himself than anyone else. “They do something here that involves the guardians, don’t they.” The ex merchant looked at Auron who nodded slowly.

“You knew there was no Final Summoning?” Yuna asked and Auron looked at them all over his glasses. 

“I have been here before.” He reminded them. Yuna made a little ‘oh’ sound and blushed as she remembered that he had indeed been there before, with her father. 

“Has everyone got what they need for battle?” Tidus’s voice cut through the conversation like a knife and they jumped, hands going to weapons almost automatically as they where reminded of their purpose for coming all this way.

Then with Kimahri and Tidus in the lead they moved through the illusionary wall and into a room that was oddly lit. Odd, because there was natural sunlight streaming down around them into a room that looked very much like a temple, well that wasn’t entirely unusual but the fact that it was night time and they where a good couple of hundred meters underground, was. They prowled right to the edges of the room, their eyes flicking to take in every detail in their view. Rikku found a few old chests that looked as though they had been left from the days when this had been a real temple, she promptly ransacked them and horded the goodies in his thigh holster with the other things she’d been collecting. 

Well, she had a little kleptomania problem… but that was no biggie… right?

Ahead of them a short flight of stairs lead up to an ancient looking door. The carvings and paint that had once covered it where chipped and cracked and in one place they had been scratched out, only to be replaced by the words ‘Weasley was here, 5389’. 

Harry shook his head in exasperation and sighed when he saw that. 

Footsteps suddenly began somewhere behind that door, sounding faint under the powerful hymn of the Fayth. 

“Someone’s coming!” Yuna exclaimed, peering into the darkness and gasping when she saw just who it was. The woman that had emerged from the old doorway was one of the most beautiful any of them had seen. She was tall and slender with long silver hair that cascaded to the floor around her it was that long. Golden half lidded eyes stared at the group blankly as bare feet reached the top step. Her pale, nearly translucent skin, glowed in the faint light of day that somehow reached them and her clothing was so sparse it was indecent. Looking around at those accompanying him Harry noted their reactions. Yuna, was staring at her namesake in awe and close beside her Lulu was merely glaring with the faintest stirrings of contempt in her gaze and posture, Tidus’s face was carefully blank, completely unaffected by the new arrival and slightly behind him, Auron was much the same. Toward the front of the front of the group Gatta, Wakka and O'aka had glazed looks and the red head was drooling slightly while Rikku seemed half torn between staring and slapping Gatta about the head. Even Kimahri was shifting uncomfortably in place. 

Harry looked back at Lady Yunalesca himself and was nearly knocked over by the force in which the psychic wave hit him. For a dizzying moment it was like he was sitting in the top box of the Quidditch world cup with a horde of Veela running around the pitch below before reality slammed back into place and the enchantment ceased to effect him.  
Tidus gave him a concerned look when Harry stood up straight and shook his head to make certain it was clear. 

Lady Yunalesca, their Great ‘Dead’ Summoner, had been a Veela. 

Joy.

Not wasting another second he strode over to Wakka and O'aka, clipping his staff to his belt as he went and bringing up his hands before…

WHACK! WHACK!

…Belting them solidly around the back of their heads.

Rikku followed his lead and did the same to Gatta, effectively shaking him out of his trance and causing him to join the other two bobbing around and clutching their skulls to fend of the newly budding headaches. 

Yunalesca looked faintly amused. 

_“Ahhh, so you know what I am.”_ The woman’s voice was omnipresent and almost gentle as she addressed the male Summoner, but behind her words she was pushing toward him with all her power. Harry anchored himself in his link with Tidus and glared right back. 

“Of course I do.” He drawled. “What kind of wizard would I be if I didn’t know?” He asked darkly and Yunalesca looked at him serenely. 

_“A wizard? It has been so long since a wizard has graced these halls. Only the Summoner’s come here now.”_ She sounded vaguely regretful and looked at Yuna as she finished speaking, but her attention returned to Harry as he snorted, loudly. 

“Turn off the charms.” He said in deadpan. “No one is going to fall for them now, you dead old hag.” For a split second after he said that something like anger flitted across the Ancient Summoners expression. She blinked and the emotion vanished but it was all to clear that Harry’s comment had undoubtedly made her mad. She ignored him completely, turning to the only other Summoner in the room and addressing Yuna instead. 

_“Welcome to Zanarkand, I congratulate you, Summoner. You have completed your pilgrimage. I will now bestow you with that what you seek. The Final Summoning will be yours. Now, choose.”_

__The silence was almost deafening._ _

__“Choose?” Yuna asked aloud. She had already given up her pilgrimage but that didn’t halt her curiosity._ _

___“You must choose the one whom I will change… to become the Fayth of the Final Summoning.”_ Those who understood the meaning of her words all set her with icy looks as she made her way delicately down the stairs, bells and bracelets at her wrists and ankles jingling softly with every step. _“There must be a bond, between chosen and Summoner, for that is what the Final Summoning Embodies: the bond between husband and wife, mother and child, or between friends.”_ At these words the eyes of the guardians all drifted to look between Harry and Tidus. _“If that bond is strong enough, its light will conquer Sin. A thousand years ago, I chose my husband Zaon as my Fayth. Our bond was true, and I obtained the Final Aeon. There is nothing to fear. You will soon be frees of worry and pain.”_ Yunalesca’s words seemed frighteningly familiar now. _ _

___“For once you call forth the Final Aeon, your life will end. Death is the ultimate and final liberation. Your father, Braska, choose this path.”_ Yuna lowered her head at the words and refused to look up, not giving a single indication of the fact that she’d even want to respond as Yunalesca drifted back toward the door from which she’d come. They shut behind her with a thunderous tone of finality and almost as if they where taking a cue from the undead Summoner the pyreflies spiraled into a new illusion in their midst. _ _

___“It is not to late!”_ The ghostly figure of Auron from so long ago half yelled, showing none of the living Auron’s cool. _“Let us turn back!”_ _ _

___“If I turn back who will defeat Sin?”_ Braska asked in a bitter voice. _“Would you have some other Summoner and his guardians go through this?”__ _

___“But… my lord, there must be another way!”_ Auron pleaded but Jecht cut into the conversation._ _

___“This is the only way we've got now!”_ The other two stared at him and their unseen audience noticed the grizzled Blitzballer’s fists clenching convulsively at his sides. _“Make me the Fayth.”_ He ground out and the younger Auron’s eyes widened slightly. _“I been doing some thinking. My dream is back in the other Zanarkand.”_ He crossed his arms over his chest and continued in a much lower voice than before. _“I wanted to make that runt into a star blitz player. Show him the view from the top, you know. But now I know there’s no way home for me. I’m never gonna see him again. My dream’s never gonna come true.”_ Then he shrugged. _“So make me the Fayth, I’ll fight Sin with you, Braska. Then maybe my life will have… meaning, you know.”_ It was almost odd to hear him sound so sincere. The blonde at Harry’s shoulder had a blank face that gave away no thoughts, but Harry could just hear what was going on in his mind. _ _

__“I saw your view.” Tidus murmured to himself, but no one else heard. “And it had little meaning for me either.”_ _

___“Don’t do this Jecht!”_ Auron was pleading with the other illusion. _“If you live… there may be another way! We’ll think of something, I know!”_ Jecht turned toward the red clad guardian impatiently and gave him a half frustrated look. _ _

___“Believe me, I thought this through,”_ He growled out, as though he couldn’t believe Auron was questioning him on this. Then, like a light being switched off Jecht’s fire seemed to vanish, leaving behind and empty looking man in his place. _“Besides… I ain’t getting any younger, so I might as well make myself useful.”_ Braska’s gaze sharpened as he looked at his guardian. _ _

___“Jecht?”_ The brunette reacted loudly, his head shooting up so he could look Braska in the eye, the fire returning. _ _

___“What! You’re not gonna try and stop me, too?”_ _ _

___“Ah, sorry.”_ The family resemblance between him and Yuna became obvious with his apology. Yuna said it much the same way. _“I mean… thank you.”_ He finished rather pathetically. Jecht gave him a crooked grin and looked over at Auron. _ _

___“Braska still need’s to fight Sin, Auron.”_ He paused and for a moment they where all still. _“Guard him well. Make sure he gets there.”_ Auron was gaping at him, trying to speak but no words seemed to escape. Than Jecht turned away from him and gestured to Braska. _“Well, lets go.”_ Auron managed to find his voice once more. _ _

___“Lord Braska! Jecht!”_ The Blitzer whirled around, half way up the stairs with a irritated look on his face. _ _

___“What do you want now?”_ He demanded harshly and Auron seemed to be actively repressing the urge to wince. _ _

___“Sin always comes back. It comes back after the Calm every time! The cycle will continue and your deaths will mean nothing!”_ Braska, it seemed, did not want to hear this._ _

___“But there’s always a chance it won’t come back this time. It’s worth trying.”_ Jecht nodded in agreement from his side._ _

___“I understand what your saying, Auron. I’ll find a way to break the cycle.”_ Auron seemed to be surprised by this and took a startled step back. _ _

___“You… have a plan?”_ _ _

___“Jecht?”_ Braska was looking at him as well now every bit as surprised as Auron. The man just seemed to be making one shocking revelation after another. Jecht was grinning again._ _

___“Trust me, I’ll think of something.”_ Laughing harshly he pushed open the doors at the top of the stairs and went through. Braska looked back at Auron and hesitated only for a second before he too entered the darkness. The younger Guardian gave the door a look and crashed to his knees, giving out a low moan of despair before the real Auron suddenly surged forward and slashed away the image. Pyreflies broke apart and left but Auron continued the slash away at them before he finally stopped, propping his sword in the rotting carpet so he could lean against it. His tone was weary as he looked down at the spot he had knelt on all those years ago, battling the memory as it continued to show in the privacy of his own mind. _ _

__“But the cycle went on.”_ _

__The others didn’t know how to console him. They looked at each other then at Harry as he leaned over slightly to see up into his old Guardian’s face._ _

__“We’ll break it.” Harry spoke rather uncertainly at first but there was something different in his tone, something that hadn’t been there before._ _

__“How? What, you got a plan now?” Wakka spoke up, obviously referring to the blundering announcement made by Jecht, a plan that didn’t work. Harry shook his head, his expression becoming brighter with every moment that passed._ _

__“No, we’ve had a plan all along!” He announced, looking around at them all. His eyes shining. “I know this!” They where confused as he began to think as fast as he could and they jumped when he smacked himself in the head for not seeing it sooner._ _

__…Sin…_ _

__…Yevon…_ _

__…The Dream of the Fayth…_ _

__…And the Armour of Immorality._ _

__A scowl marred his excitement as the memories of his own war momentarily took the foreground in his mind, but he didn’t have time for grief and regrets. He remembered every late night study session, every dream, every scrap of information he and Hermione had painstakingly gathered over those frightening last months of the War._ _

__“To become Immortal, to never die…” He muttered aloud so the others could hear._ _

__“He was going to use the Fayth and the Summoners… they would allow him to return, but no, they never knew what they would do… moved the Fayth…” Before he knew it the others had moved back as he begun pacing in the center of the old circular temple. “No Forbidden Aeons because the Fayth where destroyed… couldn’t handle Gaia’s power on their own…”_ _

__“Harry?” Rikku broke first and approached him, her green eyes displaying clear confusion. She wanted to know what he was thinking, they all did. The dark haired teen looked up from his thinking, vaguely surprised, almost as if he hadn’t seen her there to begin with. “What do you know?” She asked and Harry gaped at her for a second, unsure of what to say before he grinned._ _

__“I know how to defeat Sin.” He stated clearly and a few of them couldn’t repress their gasps._ _

__“How?” Gatta asked, Harry’s previous excitement infectious. Auron was looking at Harry too, a serious look on his face and the faintest glimmer of hope hidden in his eyes behind a high collar and dark glasses._ _

__“I don’t know why I didn’t see it before! Sin really is an appropriate name. Yevon, all those holy writings you talk so much about, don’t you see it was just a farce?” Those who had been devoted entirely to the teachings, namely Yuna and Wakka, where looking at him like he was mad._ _

__“What?” Yuna blurted and Harry became serious._ _

__“I’ve seen Sin before, but in a different shape.” He explained. “Back at the end of the last war when the worlds began to mix it was because the Dark Lord, Voldemort, had cast some kind of spell to make himself Immortal. The spell was called the Armour of Immorality. It allowed a disembodied soul to possess a holy being and pervert it into an impenetrable armor that could only be defeated by non-magical means, given that any or all magic would be absorbed. The Summoner’s, myself included, would have just given it new and stronger bodies to inhabit had we gone against it and actually defeated it with our Aeons. The only reason that wasn’t tested last time I saw it was because I had something far stronger on my side than just Aeons.” For a second he trailed off his explanation and frowned to himself, ignoring the incredulous looks everyone was giving him._ _

__“I think I still might have that power…” He admitted. “…But it was something I could use only once and there isn’t another way to Summon Gaia again.” Harry looked up and met Tidus’s eyes. He looked at his guardian unerringly but his words where for everyone._ _

__“Yevon, the one who’s teachings you’ve followed all this time. I would bet anything that he used the Armour of Immorality. The teachings, about preventing the use of Machina, and how Summoning was the only way to defeat Sin, they where all set in place so that they would unknowingly maintain his armor, never getting an understanding of how to truly defeat it…” he trailed off toward the end of his sentence and broke his stare looking about at everyone else before the glowing green orbs landed on Auron._ _

__“You where right Auron.” He said slowly. “Yunalesca does need to be stopped. Then, none of the Aeons will be strong enough for Yevon to immediately change. He’ll need far more than ten years to return to the power held by this Sin, and with nowhere else to go…”_ _

__“He would be vulnerable to attack at last, and probably destruction.” Tidus finished Harry’s sentence, understanding the gist of the words right away. The other guardians looked more than a little awed._ _

__“You really think that can work?” Rikku didn’t almost dare to hope as she stepped toward them, eyes wide and brimming with emotion. The prospect of finally destroying Sin and living happily ever after knowing that the Al Bhed had been right to use Machina was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. It was scary because as far as anyone could remember they’d all been united in their hatred of Sin. The concept of a world without Sin after all those centuries was just so alien… Harry gave her a determined grin._ _

__“It has to.” He was certain now, he could kick himself later for not noticing it sooner but for the moment everything was falling into place and for once, the reason he had been set on this path was clear. He could figured out how to get close to Yu Yevon’s Armour of Immorality, Sin, later._ _

__Feeling considerably more confident they finally turned their attention to the doorway at the top of the stairs and didn’t hesitate as they headed toward it._ _

__They where going to do this!_ _

__They where going to free Spira at last._ _


	21. Destroying False Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their group takes the fight to Yunalesca

**“I ye yu I…”**

**“No bo me no…”**

Faint strains of the Hymn, half mumbled under the blonde girl’s breath floated throughout the chamber as she sat cross legged on a large amber colored and glowing stone. Beneath her, and within its depths was a abstract, half complete statue that depicted a fusion of Flowers and Insects. 

**“Re en mi ni…”**

“Luna, Stop it.” A sharp voice from one side reprimanded the humming girl as she continued to stare into space. 

“…the dragons are stirring.” Luna murmured, more to herself than anyone else. The two girls that stood around the large circle turned and looked at her in surprise. 

“What?” The shorter red head breathed out, crouching down and shuffling over to the young woman’s side. “Who?” 

**“Yo ju yo go…”** Luna trailed off again, returning to her aimless singing. Once upon a time they had all sang the Hymn. People had come, seeking their alliance, and they’d been needed, useful. But over the years the visitors to their temple had dwindled and soon, it was like they had never been. So two of the Fayth had stopped singing. Hermione and Ginny, had long since given up hope in anyone else chancing across their shrine. When they’d agreed to become the powers that made the Aeons it had been a vain attempt to remain close to their Summoner. 

**“Ha sa te ka na e…”**

That Summoner never came. 

Luna though, still held onto her hope. The white mage with the bottle cap necklace refused to believe they where forgotten, so she continued to sing.

**“Ku ta ma e.”**

Forgotten… that’s what they’d been until Bahamut had come to them with a way to allow them to pass on. They’d agreed to lend their power to awakening a dream of the Fayth but the first attempt had failed. They’d waited ten long years to try again, but this had brought a completely unexpected result. Something changed! They didn’t know what it was for sure but this new dream would free them. 

“So close…” Luna muttered. “So close but yet so far… He needs to hear us sing.” The last bit had been said in a delighted tone. The sing song words indicating she knew something more than they did. Ginny looked over her head at Hermione, an eyebrow raised. Who needed to hear them sing?

“Harry.” Came Luna’s blunt answer to the unspoken question and the other girl’s eyes widened. 

Harry.

So when Luna opened her mouth again to continue her endless chant, Hermione and Ginny surprised themselves and joined in.

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

There where no real words that could describe the phenomenon that awaited them beyond the broken doors. Harry was instantly reminded of the roof of the Hogwarts great hall, but this was far more impressive. Countless stars where scattered across an illusionary dome of darkness and it gave the impression that the roof, the atmosphere and even the very light of the sun didn’t exist. It was like standing in a vacuum of space with no sign of life other than the ruined stone platform they stood on, suspended in the middle of it all. 

“Ohhhhhh…” A soft murmur of awe sounded from Rikku as she saw it. The spectacular view was somewhat dampened by the weight of the situation. Their target emerged from a concealed staircase at the other end and glided toward a large glowing glyph drawn on the ground. As her bare feet moved across it the image grew brighter and the misty air around her began to disperse, bringing her further from the world of the dead and closer to the living. 

“Have you chosen the one to become your Fayth?” She addressed Yuna. “Who will it be?” The girl gave her a distrustful look but had to ask even if she would never take on the Final Summoning. 

“Uh… is it true…” She began softly. “Will Sin come back, even should I use the Final Summoning to defeat it?” Yunalesca eyed her, emotionless, before her eyes wondered across to Harry, acknowledging him for the first time with a dark look. 

“Sin is eternal.” She explained airily. “Every Aeon that defeats it becomes Sin in it’s place… And thus is Sin reborn.” Her words decided their next action, even as they passed her lips. It was just more evidence toward Harry’s theory and the male Summoner didn’t doubt he was right. “Sin, is an inevitable part of Spira’s destiny.” The silver haired woman continued. “It is never ending.”

“Never ending?” Wakka choked out incredulously. “But… but… if we atone for our crimes, Sin will stop coming back, ya?” He was trying to cling to what little was left of his crumbling beliefs. “Someday it’ll be gone, ya? Ya?” The argument trailed off at the blank look Yunalesca still wore. She was silent as the grave as she looked from one face to another, the Unsent Veela gave a sigh. 

“Will humanity ever attain such purity?” She was redirecting the conversation to something she could manipulate, grasping those dying strands of faith almost as desperately as Wakka did. He stumbled, almost as if someone had belted him in the face. 

“But… but…” He floundered. Lulu took pity on him and asked what he had wanted to, her face decorated by the same traces of loathing she’d had earlier. Harry figured that Yunalesca, having some Veela blood, was most likely making the Black Mage jealous. It was a theory he didn’t dare say out loud for fear of what she might do to him. After all, the saying did go, ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’. 

“The teachings do state that… Sin, can be exorcised with complete atonement. It’s been our only hope for so long.” Yunalesca sent her a lazy glance and have a ghost of a smile that quickly faded. 

“Hope is… comforting. It allows us to accept fate, however tragic it might be.” A bubble of outrage built in Tidus’s chest at those words and he took a step forward as the denial burst from his throat. 

“NO!”

_“NO!”_

…And not a second after he had done so, it was mirrored by an illusion of a Young Auron. The memory dashed toward the glyph, his sword swinging wildly in his grasp before he skidded to a stop, falling into a stance and bringing it up before him. His face was a mask of rage and pain. 

_“ Where is the sense in all this? Braska believed in Yevon’s teachings and died for them! Jecht believed in Braska and gave his life for him!”_ On the Glyph Yunalesca had faded to the same transparency as the memory and was caught up in the replay. Her face was dispassionate and condescending and she looked down her nose at him. 

_“They chose to die… because they had hope.”_ Clearly not accepting the answer Auron let out a inarticulate bellow of anger and charged. He leapt at Yunalesca sword first and was going to hit when Yunalesca suddenly went on the alert, as if only just registering the threat and swung a hand out before her. A shield of pure magic shimmered into being and the memory was repelled. His enormous blade went flying from his grasp and clattered to the ground beside him as he landed awkwardly. By all rights the blow of landing on his neck should have killed him but he rolled over and struggled to get back to his feet but with a final gasping wheeze he collapsed to the stone once more and was still. 

It was to that macabre scene that the memory faded away, leaving Yunalesca standing in the Glyph, attached to reality once more. 

“Yevon’s teachings and the Final Summoning give the people of Spira hope. Without hope, they would drown in their sorrow. Now, choose, who will be your Fayth? Who will be the one to renew Spira’s hope?” 

There was a long silence before a loud snort disturbed it. 

“Bullshit.” Harry scoffed. “Like that’s gonna happen.” Weapons where brought to bare and for a moment Yunalesca actually looked wary. “The Armour of Immorality is an abomination of a spell that creates monsters, like Sin and Voldemort.” As he announced that Yunalesca’s eyes widened almost comically. 

“How did you know?” She wailed to her starry illusion and then looked back, acknowledging him for the first time since he’d entered. “The spell was our only hope.” She hissed venomously. “You would not understand why we used that spell. We where a dying people, already the rebels where ready to destroy us! And the filthy muggles and their weapons! We would not be defeated, this way, we would live forever as a terrible reminder as to why we where the superior race!” 

Harry’s face morphed into a magnificent scowl that might have done Snape proud. 

It figured that, even thousands of years after the rise of Voldemort the Waltz would still keep playing, and it figured that after all this time, the reasons for it to play would remain the same. He gripped his staff and whipped his face of all emotion, shaking his head sadly at the thought. Where they all doomed to make the same mistakes all over again. The explosive anger began to melt away into an odd sort of calm, he understood a little more with every passing day it seemed. 

Taking one hand from his staff he brought it up to point at the long-haired unsent. 

“You have lingered here far to long already.” He said calmly. “No one can live forever.” Yunalesca regained some of her focus.

“I beg to differ, Summoner.” She said, her false calm returning. “I am alive.” The others readied their weapons. 

“No… you’re not.” 

Yunalesca scowled and brought up her hand. 

“Poor creature, you would throw away hope? Well… I will free you before you can drown in your sorrow. It is better to die in hope than live in despair. Let me be your liberator.” And then, in an eerie imitation of Seymour, pyre files filled the air around her, warping her features further. Her hair grew out in thick waves like steel cords and blew away from her like they where rattling in the wind, but for some reason, the hair was caught in the Glyph, not that it really mattered, they all felt the stiff burst of power that rippled out over the group and scattered as a psyonic projectile detonated where they’d been standing. 

“Now!” Auron yelled out, almost gleefully. “This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape you stories! Your fate is in your hands!” Blade out he was powering up to do the strongest attack in his arsenal. Kimahri put himself firmly in front of Yuna who would be playing the healer in this battle. Harry was spared the duty, having a far more effective offensive arsenal. Rikku bounced over to support Gatta who was the first to attack with a hail of bullets that merely served to enrage Yunalesca further. She lashed out once more but Yuna had been busy in the few seconds she’d had to act. Those within close range of her namesake where protected by a reflect shield and the sleep spell she’d cast was reflected back at her. However, the unsent was far to powerful to be effected by such a simple spell. 

While she was distracted though Auron darted in and delivered a blow that would have been devastating to anyone but an unsent. Wakka whined before hauling back his blitz ball and casting it into the fray. 

“I can’t believe we’re gonna fight Lady Yunalesca! Gimme a break!” His eyes widened almost comically as his ball hurtled back at him on the rebound. The spikes that lined the circumference making it difficult to catch, but by that point he’d had far to much practice anyway. 

“You can always run.” Lulu teased him before attacking alongside O'aka. They both cast Flare simultaneously and the ground beneath the silver haired woman exploded. 

“Hah!” Wakka was trying to sound brave, and was nearly succeeding too. “I’d never forgive myself – no way! Not if I ran away now! Even in death, ya?” He put on a cocky grin and Lulu gave him a half smile as Rikku moved in to mug the spirit. She was really beginning to like that maneuver. 

Seeing the others rush into the fight Tidus studied Yunalesca’s technique and leaned forward so his lips came to rest right by Harry’s ear. 

“This is our story…” He commented in a whisper. “…We’ll see this through together.” Then, without a second of hesitation he broke away and dashed toward the unsent, his hands automatically going for his blade as he concentrated his energy. Yunalesca stumbled as he leapt at her and kicked off her hastily raised shield, having expected it from the memory of Auron. While he was in the air he brandished his sword and gold filled the air as lances of pure energy rained down on his target. Blow after blow landed and when Tidus was done Yunalesca had gone to one knee. 

Far from impressed with their skills the woman stumbled upright and called on the powers beneath her feet. The Glyph glowed brighter and a new ring of symbols appeared around the first and most central, loosening the way for a sudden mass that drew up out of the stone. The hair, that had been stuck there, hadn’t really been hair at all. Yunalesca was changing, growing into something far larger and frightening than they’d first thought. The giant limb supported her, looming above them like a tower in the suddenly smaller space of the room. 

Yunalesca gave a cold laugh at their surprise and before they could do anything the ground around their feet split open, revealing a horde of writing tentacles that beat against them. Wakka was thrown off his feet by one tentacle and stabbed before Rikku slashed the appendage with her claw and pulled him away. The younger girl went to give him a potion when Auron stopped her, a gauntleted hand grasping her wrist tightly. 

“Don’t.” He warned as his skin took on the dangerously mottled pallor that Wakka’s had. “We’re infected, don’t try to heal us or you’ll just end up making it worse.” Rikku nodded numbly as Wakka got uneasily to his feet and gripped his ball to his side. 

“Yuna should know how to cure it, ya.” Wakka offered as Gatta recovered from the attack somewhat and opened fire again. He had the infection too, but luckily, the others had been spared. 

“No need gentlemen.” O'aka sidled over, looking a little worse for wear. There was already a layer of sweat on his face and rapidly dampening shirt as he continued to cast Firga spells as fast as he could. “Take a look in me bag would you squirt.” The mage addressed Rikku, who most likely hadn’t noticed the endearment. “There’s a bottle of holy water in there, there is. Just use that to get rid of yeh infection.” Rikku quickly rummaged around and found it before the Black mage jerked away and headed to Yuna for healing as those still fighting scattered to avoid more of the psyoninc blasts. 

They where given a break from fighting for a moment later when Harry Summoned an Aeon. Bahamut, the mighty king of dragons gifted by the Fayth in Bevelle appeared from the Summoning Plane and soared into Yunalesca, forcing her into bloody close range combat with his claws. Struggling against him, the Unsent gave into her frustration one last time and a second new circle of symbols appeared around the Glyph. Bahamut was shunted away as the ground rumbled and Yunalesca’s strange tower of hair toppled back until she was lounging upon the appendage, a new enormous face ripping itself from the stone.

“Yunalesca’s true form.” Auron breathed somewhat wickedly as the tentacles from before began to wave lazily above the enormous face with the bright green slit pupil eyes and a disgustingly large tongue that lolled around on the ground before her. “To think, such a human form was hiding something like this all along.” Nearby, just having been cured from the Zombie infection Gatta nodded in mute agreement, his jaw hanging loose from the rest of his skull. 

“Not so pretty now is she!” Harry proclaimed somewhat loudly and the behemoth head swivled around on its chin to face him. Eyes glowing it cast a spell of force, one that would probably have crushed the Summoner had Bahamut not shielded him with his own bulk. The multicolored feather wings flared out and the others where nearly blown off their feet as they flapped powerfully, flipping the dragon over into a ready position as he stomped into place. 

The wheel that floated above the dragon began to spin at a pace almost to fast to follow as it dragged in the ambient magic before it opened its mouth and let loose its main attack of the unsent monster, the Mega Flare. As the attack continued the wheel span and the beam of pure energy grew to encompass Yunalesca’s form entirely. 

It screamed.

The horrible pained shriek filled the air around them but the Mega Flare hadn’t finished the job. Enraged, the tentacles slammed into the ground before bursting back out bellow Bahamut’s feet and dragging him down. Small skulls formed on the ends, all matching the head they where attached to and began chomping down on the Aeon. It gave a bellowing roar of it’s own before Harry dismissed it himself. The sudden attack had startled him but as Bahamut leapt back onto the Summoning Plane Yunalesca turned her attention to the Guardians once more. There was a flash and Rikku screamed as a psyonic bolt, much stronger than Yunalesca’s previous attacks, hit her head on. The force sent her flying and she skidded toward the edge of the platform. Dazed as she was she wasn’t able to stop herself from slamming into a low stone edging with the sickening crack of something breaking. 

There was a dark laugh from behind the head and Gatta rushed toward Rikku as fast as he could. He wouldn’t be much help while Rikku was out anyway, he was a good guardian in his own right, but when he fought with Rikku what one lacked, the other made up for in buckets. Pushing aside their concern for now, the others focused on the head. Tidus, Auron and Wakka began to take turns in hitting the head, hoping that the tag team style of fighting would buy them some time where it couldn’t attack. Harry brought up a hand and focused on the scan spell and memorizing the results. 

“Yunalesca…” Harry murmured. “…Undead type, immune to most status ailments, and gravity attacks but weak against Holy…” 

_‘Oh, just like Seymour.’_ He thought and waved to Lulu and O'aka to back off on the spells. The pair gratefully fell back, both exhausted from the constant high-level casting they’d been doing since the battle began. After O'aka had thrown one last Explodra at a group of tentacles they slid off to check on Rikku and Gatta. 

_‘Get ready to move! I’m going to Summon.’_ At the silent message Tidus signaled the others still standing and Harry began the steps to a Summoning he hadn’t tried in a long time. Like Seymour, Yunalesca was unsent, but in this incarnation, she was far more powerful than Seymour ever was. Demeter had been able to take him out with a single attack last time, but for someone of Yunalesca’s age, they’d need something far more powerful. 

Standing side on to the target Harry braced his feet under him and put his left arm behind his back, being the furthest away and held his staff like a fencing foil in his right. For a moment he didn’t move but then, with a sharp flick of his wrist, the emerald on the end ignited with red and gold flames. He couldn’t help but smile as he made a large sweeping gesture, and swirled his staff out before him in large sweeping circles. With every pass a trail of flames traced a ring in the air and then without any warning there was a booming echo of bird song. The haunting melody made the guardians grin, gaining confidence as their worry and pain was washed away by the song. The monster they where fighting shuddered in horror, beginning to scream once more as a portal opened in the ring, revealing blue skies and green hills before a giant golden bird swept through. 

“You broke the cycle of Life and Death.” Harry intoned on the great Phoenix Aeon’s behalf as it circled the room. “Now you’ll have to suffer the consequences.” With that said the Phoenix glided down and utterly ignored the writhing tentacles as it perched on the giant head and began to sing. 

“Wha… What is this?” Yunalesca choked out as the extensions of her mortal shell began to weaken under the sheer holy power of the creature. Eventually everyone fell back and simply watched as Pheo caught alight and slowly began to burn. The head moaned weakly as the Phoenix experienced a burning day and in the process, burned away the bulk of Yunalesca’s form before the newborn chick finally vanished in a flash of light, its job done. The silver haired woman sank back to her space on the floor, the two rings of symbols still there but the central Glyph had burnt black. Yunalesca went to her knees, gasping as if she really needed to breathe, but even as she drew them it was in a death rattle, eerily similar to a Dementor’s, it was the Voice of Death. 

Pheo was a special Aeon in that when it attacked, it burned itself on purpose and in the process, it took away all the negative and dark energies from a person or being, cleansing them and taking them away, leaving only whatever good was left within them. 

It seemed as though there had been some good left in Yunalesca after all.

“If I die…” She murmured, her voice still rasping. “So does the Final Summoning, and with it, Spira’s only hope.” 

_‘So tired…’_

“Then we’ll find Spira a new hope.” Tidus retorted in a low voice, sliding his sword back into its harness now that it wasn’t needed. He moved over and crouched down before her, just a few feet away.

“Fools…” Her tone held no real venom, just resignation. “There is no other way. Besides… even if you did defeat Sin… even if you did find another way… Yu Yevon the immortal would only create Sin anew.”

“We know.” Harry joined them, crouching beside Tidus. Yunalesca’s eyes flickered to him and widened somewhat when they found the pale scar on his forehead. 

“Master Summoner?” Harry and Tidus looked at each other then back. 

“So you can finally see.” Harry gave her a bitter, absent-minded sort of smile. “It’s a pity it’s too late.” Yunalesca’s eyes dropped and she nodded before whispering her final words. 

“Ah… Zaon… forgive me…” Then, she closed her eyes and her corporeal form simply broke into a handful of Pyreflies that drifted lazily upwards and vanished amid the illusionary stars. 

 

\----------------------------------------------

 

The world had never seemed so dim as it had when they finally emerged from the room that had once housed Yunalesca. The temple was ruined beyond what it had been last time they’d entered and they could see now just how much of the world around them was just a memory. Many of the Pyreflies that had lingered here where gone, the last remaining few drifting between the broken stones. Harry brushed his fingers over the scratched out lettering of the graffiti on the door as he passed, a sad smile on his lips as he took a moment to wonder what that Weasley had been like. Had they been like Ron? Ginny? Maybe even like Fred or George. 

He looked back to his guardians and sighed at the almost pitiful sight they made. Not one of them had been left unscathed by the fight. Exhausted and hurt, Rikku was being carried by Kimahri as Yuna fussed over her cousin and Lulu was leading along Gatta by the hand as he stared after the trio, unable to take his eyes off the Al Bhed girl. Wakka was limping and Tidus was wincing every now and then as his ribs shifted. At least two where broken from one of Yunalesca’s attacks and others where bruised. 

As if he’d heard his thoughts the blonde looked up from where he was cleaning off his blade and gave him a grimace that would have been a smile, had he not jarred his injuries again. Harry nodded back before hurrying after the others to help Yuna in caring for Rikku. 

In the silence that fell after he left Tidus lowered himself to sit on the bottom step. Off to one side Auron stood waiting. 

“We must talk.” The old monk spoke in a low tone, shifting away from the statue he leaned against. “There is something you should know.” The blonde looked up at him, traces of pain already leaving his face as the smaller of his wounds began to heal. 

“About you.” It wasn’t really a question. Auron stared at him feet.

“I also am an unsent… you are not surprised.” Tidus let his blade rest against the stairs beside him and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees before shaking his head. 

“I already knew.” He admitted. “I first suspected it when you reacted to Harry’s sending just after Operation Mi’Ihen.” They lapsed into silence. 

“It was Yunalesca, wasn’t it, she killed you.” Auron frowned. 

“When Braska and Jecht died defeating Sin… I just couldn’t accept it. I came back here… tried to avenge them. But she struck me down. Somehow I made my way, crawling, down Mount Gagazet. But my strength left me just outside Bevelle. That’s where Kimahri found me. I told him about Yuna… just before I died. I’ve been wandering ever since, never going to the Farplane.” Tidus eyed him and the man suddenly smirked. 

“But being dead has its advantages.” Even as he said that the mottled effect of the Zombie infection faded away. “I was able to ride Sin and go to your Zanarkand.” At the abrupt reminder of where he had come from and where he was going, Tidus scowled. 

“And you’ve been watching over me since then, haven’t you. Why?” Auron cocked his head to one side and set him with am unreadable expression. 

“It is one of those things that is difficult to explain.” He paused before taking a step forward. “Very well. I will show you my memories.” Dark eyes slid closed and the remaining Pyreflies burst into activity, reading the images Auron was giving them. Soon they crowded to the center of the room and formed another image, a memory of a conversation no one else would ever hear. 

Jecht stood with his back to the stairs. Braska was off to one side, standing as silent as the grave and Auron, his younger self, stood slightly to one side where Tidus could only just see the side of his face.

_“Can I ask you a favor?”_ Jecht asked awkwardly, not turning to face him. _“Uh… Nah. Never mind.”_ He reconsidered but Auron wasn’t having any of that. 

_“Out with it!”_ Jecht hesitated for only a second before he turned to face his friend. 

_“Okay, Listen good. Take care of my son. My son, in Zanarkand. He’s such a crybaby. He needs someone there to hold his hand, see?” _Sitting there and watching the face of his father Tidus knew he was unaware of the fact that his voice was breaking. The high note under his words made him sound strangely vulnerable. _“Take care of him, will you?”_ __

___“But how am I supposed to get to Zanarkand?”_ Auron questioned, sounding a little desperate. _ _

___“Hey!”_ Jecht regained some of his earlier bravado. _“You said it yourself! There must be a way to get there, right? You’ll find it.”_ _ _

___“All right… I will.”_ Auron sounded determined, even if there was an undertone of resignation. _“I give you my word. I’ll take care of your son. I’ll guard him with my life.”_ His voice wavered and he fell silent. Jecht moved back toward him and placed a hand on Auron’s shoulder. _ _

___“Thanks, Auron. You always were such a stiff, but that’s what I liked about you.”_ _ _

__Then, in the blink of an eye, the memory was gone and the silence reigned once more. Auron lifted his head and stared at the space where the memory had been before striding off after the others._ _

__“That is why.”_ _

__

__\----------------------------------------------_ _

__

__The sun was only just below the eastern horizon when they emerged back into the world outside the Dome. The gray light of the false dawn was fading rapidly with the new day but with it came the same eerie peace they’d been feeling since the battle with Yunalesca._ _

__The calm before the storm…_ _

__As he walked away from the Dome the hairs on the back of the blonde guardian’s neck began to rise as he felt someone watching them. Tidus stopped and turned toward the source and was unsurprised to see the gigantic visage of Sin staring down at him. In the few seconds it took to look into it’s eyes he felt the spirit within and the rush of images that accompanied it._ _

__“I know…” He said quietly, knowing his father would still hear him. “There isn’t a Final Summoning, not anymore.” Sin shifted restlessly at the news, drawing the attention of the others. Tidus continued to stare as more images pressed into his mind. “Give us a little more time, we’ll think of a way to get rid of the amour soon.” The ‘voices’ faded and Tidus was alone in his mind once more before Sin finally turned away. Lumbering back toward the ocean. In doing so it passed a familiar flying object that glided along side it in the other direction without so much as acknowledging it’s existence._ _

__The party stood there, simply waiting for it to arrive, taking a small comfort in the fact that they where all still alive and whole. Harry moved back to Tidus’s side and gave him a slightly weary smile, one hand gripping his tightly._ _

__“We’re still here.” He murmured as the Airship came in to hover above them. Al Bhed lowered down small platforms in order to hoist them up a few at a time._ _

__“Yeah.” Soon they where the only ones still on the ground as the platform was lowered one last time. Tidus moved and stepped up first before helping the Summoner up. While they inched upwards Harry spoke._ _

__“The others are good fighters… but they’re not there yet.” Tidus felt a ghost of a grin creeping across his mouth._ _

__“Training?” He asked and Harry nodded._ _

__“Training.” The sun finally peeked over the ruins and they where set ablaze in the light of a new day. Dawn was the time of new beginnings and with this one they had another chance. While the Final Summoning had been destroyed there was still hope for getting rid of Sin. They had the bare outline of a plan they’d come up with before the fight and they had all the knowledge Harry remembered of the Amour of Immorality. If anything else, they now had time to think of how they would implement their plan, but until they could, they’d just have to heal and improve. Then, they’d take on the gargantuan task set before them._ _

__They had time._ _


	22. New plans in the making

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plotting and planning

“Well ain’t you a sorry looking bunch!” 

The shout echoed around the bridge as they filed in and moved to stand around the edges of the walkways. Entering just in time to hear the jibe Harry gave the balding Al Bhed man a withering look. Cid however, hadn’t even noticed him as he looked toward where Yuna was standing. Tidus rolled his eyes and merely tucked himself into a corner and pulled Harry close, taking care not to jolt his injuries. Harry leaned back onto the wall behind them and sighed. 

“I wonder how she’s going to explain herself?” He murmured quietly, an odd, half formed smirk forming across his lips. From what the others had mentioned, Cid would have wanted nothing more than to have Yuna quit her pilgrimage, but now she was a guardian instead and that would probably rub him the wrong way something fierce. 

“Uncle Cid… thank you.” She said, walking over to him and bowing formally. Cid looked like he was fighting not to cry and Tidus snickered softly. 

“You look just like your mother.” He commented as he turned away and looked out the front of the bridge. Yuna smiled faintly before the expression fell and she became serious once more. 

“Uh… I have something to tell you.” She began. Cid said nothing in response so she just continued. “I decided in Zanarkand that I would stop my pilgrimage.” 

That got a reaction.

“Really?” Cid turned around quickly and stared at her, the glint of the few remaining tears at the corners of his eyes as he looked at her with a mix of delight and hope. Yuna ducked her head at the attention and nodded. 

“Yes.” Cid gave a whoop and threw his arms around her in a bear hug. The girl uttered a shout of alarm as she was picked up and dragged back and forth violently like an attacking terrier. It was another second before Cid could put her down and she nearly toppled over.

“As nice as that is an’ all, isn’t that rather… redundant, now?” Everyone stopped and stared at O'aka. He stood by the door, leaning heavily on his staff but still standing. He wasn’t the most intelligent person in the room, or the best fighter, but he had a sort of presence around him that made people take his advice to heart that he probably wasn’t even aware of. At the moment he looked rather world weary, his expression more commonly seen on Auron’s face instead of his own. 

“That’s right, the Final Summoning has been destroyed.” All around them, the Al Bhed gasped and stared at Harry who had spoken the last part. Auron had something like a proud smirk hidden behind the high collar of his jacket. 

“WHAT?!” Cid made his second loud outburst in as many minutes. 

“The Final Summoning is no more.” Lulu picked up the thread of the conversation. “We destroyed the remains of Lady Yunalesca and…” She trailed off as Cid looked at her, having picked up on something she said. 

“We?” He said it slowly, almost as if he dreaded hearing the meaning. Yuna looked at her feet again and played with the hem of her sleeve. 

“Ah, Uncle Cid… that was the other thing.” She peeked up at him through her hair. “When I declared I was ending my pilgrimage Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri and I, swore ourselves as guardians to Summoner Harry.” The bridge went quiet after that. Cid’s expression turned to one of pure surprise as he looked at Yuna, then to Harry and back, his mouth working up and down but no noise coming out. Soon, it all became too much for the big Al Bhed and there was a thunderous CRASH as he toppled over backwards to the cold metal floor. Yuna shrank back a little as it triggered a more vocal response from the others on the bridge. The chaos was only made worse when Brother, began to add his yells of _‘FRANA DU? FRANA DU?’_ , to the mix. (Where to? Where to?)

The guardian’s retreated from underfoot and wondered over that question. Where were they going from here? They all turned to look for Harry but come up short when they discovered the space by the wall devoid of Summoner and Guardian. 

“Where have they snuck off to now?” 

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

There was surprisingly little wind on the deck of the airship considering the altitude it was at and the speeds in which it was flying. Harry sat cross legged atop the large painted symbol of the Al Bhed, staring down at the blue and green patterns, a frown flitting across his face. Off to one side Tidus gave a grunt as the rib repairing charm Harry had just cast went to work. 

“I think I’ve missed something.” He said out loud and the blonde gave a short noise of discomfort in response. Harry rolled his eyes and went back to staring. 

“Seriously,” He began again. “there’s this, I don’t know… a tug. It keeps on pulling at me like I forgot something and now it’s trying to get my attention.” The dark haired teen didn’t like the feeling. It was like Neville had said all that long ago, holding his red colored Remembrall.

“The problem is, I can’t remember what it is I’ve forgotten!”

That was exactly what this felt like, but those words brought up the thought of something else, Neville himself. With all the parallels between this time and the one he was born in, Harry surprised himself by not noticing the other one that had been lingering around him. Having O'aka around… it was almost like Neville was there again. Some of his first thoughts about the Ex-merchant standing before them on the deck of the ferry in Luca Harbor had been about how his potential had been sealed like Neville’s. He also had an uncanny ability to make potions and find materials and plants in the wilderness. 

There was next to no difference in their behaviors, but for the fact that O'aka seemed to have the happy middle ground between to much confidence and none at all. Neville had always been a little bi polar in that aspect. Ron had always hated the other Gryffindor’s mood swings because whenever they got competitive he would loose. 

…Ron…

“That’s it!” Harry shot up from his slouch and grinned over at Tidus who was only just getting up again. The blonde gave him a quizzical look and Harry had to explain.

“The Aeons! There are more than just the one’s I’ve seen! I still need to visit Besaid to speak with Rowena and Ron is out there somewhere, he’s not going to get off the hook that easily!” Tidus’s thoughts flashed back to the red headed Fayth that Harry had gone berserk at in their shared dream, but before he could open his mouth to ask about it they where interrupted. 

“HARRY!” They looked over their shoulder to where the elevator onto the deck had opened and found Yuna skipping toward them, Kimahri in tow as usual. “Kimahri had an idea about where we should go next!” She stepped aside and looked up at the Ronso, silently urging him to tell. 

“Key to fight Sin, might be in Yevon’s teachings.” Tidus gave him a rather skeptical look. 

“They help how?” The Ronso ignored the tone. 

“No answers in the teachings, answers lie outside teachings. Know both sides, then find answer.” Harry seemed to mull over the Ronso’s answer.

“He has a point.” Harry admitted. “Knowing what that worm does and doesn’t want done might help in figuring out the specifics of what we’ll need to do.” 

“Mika knows much. Find him, find answers.” Both teenage male’s looked at Kimahri with eyebrows raised after that sentence. It sounded like he was already gleefully anticipating the chance to interrogate the last remaining Maester. 

“Right…” Harry relayed his own theory of more Aeons and was still muttering to himself as they made their way back toward the bridge. When they reached it though they where ambushed by the newly awakened Rikku, and Wakka. 

“Hey! Hey! I just had a great idea, Ya!” Wakka shoved in front of Rikku to get their attention. 

“Meanie!” Rikku stomped on his foot and stood before Harry. “Actually it was my idea.” She exclaimed proudly. Wakka limped forward and pushed Rikku aside. 

“It’s like this, ya?” Rikku retaliated in kind and pinched him in the side before delivering a swift chop to his gut. 

“I just thought…”

“The Hymn is the key.” Lulu interrupted, speaking over both of them. Rikku and Wakka sagged in disappointment as she broke the news before they could. 

“The Hymn?” Tidus queried, somewhat absentmindedly as he moved further into the room. He had a tendency to either become enraged or zone out at the mention of his male parental unit. Lulu nodded. 

“Yes. Jecht did like the Hymn of the Fayth, did he not?” The blonde gave the reluctant confirmation, an image of the man singing it swimming to the front of his mind.

“That’s why he was listening to it in Macalania!” Rikku squealed, butting in and proud of herself for noticing the fact in the first place. Lulu smiled indulgently at the thought. 

“Sin… violence incarnate, listening peacefully.” The very idea of it was almost ludicrous to hear when said aloud. 

Wakka stood off to the side, looking sheepish all of a sudden as a thought struck him. “Uh… I know it’s your old man, and we don’t mean no disrespect or nothin’, but…” He trailed off, scratching the back of his head and Tidus just rolled his eyes. 

“He’s going to die.” He said in deadpan. “I don’t care.” The conversation hit a block of sorts after that until Lulu came forward once more, preventing Wakka from saying anything else that was potentially stupid.

“Let me say it.” She said, crossing her arms loosely under her chest. “If Sin attacks head on, we’ve little chance of winning. However, if he hears the Hymn of the Fayth, he will become docile.” Wakka nodded along with her, his grin returning. 

“Yeah, and that’s when me make our move! Might be against the rules and all, but who’s keeping track, ya?”

“Yeah!” Rikku piped up. “It could really work!” 

Both Summoner and Guardian thought it over, their minds working on over time in an attempt to calculate the possibilities of distracting Sin in that manner. Eventually they turned back to the eager trio shrugging. 

“Yeah… yeah, it could work. At least, it’s worth trying.” Rikku and Wakka both got silly grins as they went off to plot in a corner. Even as they did, Yuna and Kimahri caught up to them, taking up positions in the clear part of the room as they waited for everyone to explain their ideas to the newly awakened Cid. When they where done Wakka let out a laugh. 

“I got a good feeling about this.” He crowed. Rikku wasn’t about to be outdone for the title of cheeriest person in the room and drew herself up proudly. 

“Well it was my idea you know.” Lulu shook her head at their antics.

“I guess it’s all or nothing.” Her voice, held an uncharacteristic abundance of hope, totally negating the usually sarcasm that layered her tone. Cid, just looked between them and then back to the pair in the center before shaking his head and giving in. He didn’t like the fact that Yuna would still be in danger, but these people had come up with a plausible solution to the problem of Sin. All they needed now, was to train themselves to a level high enough to give them a fair chance. 

“Well, that sounds like a plan to me!” His voice carried loudly throughout the deck and he chuckled. “And this baby,” He added, one hand lovingly petting a console beside him. “Will take you all where ever you want to go.” 

It was the least he could do to help. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------

 

When they reached the entry of Bevelle they weren’t surprised to find it under heavy guard. With the deaths of three Maester’s in the space of a few weeks it had been left to Maester Mika to pick up the pieces of their shattered order. People had been rioting and there was still some uproar over the events on the tower top the day they’d all laid it under siege. All things considered, it wasn’t surprising when two of the gate guards openly challenged them. 

“Infidels!” One cried out in a slightly strangled tone, his gun out before him.

Gatta sighed from his place beside Rikku. “Man, don’t these people ever give up?” 

“You’ll regret showing your face here.” The other guard spoke up. His eyes had dark rings around them and he looked more than a little weary from stress. Everyone seemed to be at the end of their tether. “We’ll strike you down in the name of Yevon.” 

There was a time where some of them would have cringed at hearing those words but Wakka just yawned, an indication he was finally getting over his previous fanaticism. 

“Blah, blah, blah…” Tidus gave them a dismissive wave. “So what? Guys?” The last part was addressed to the group. 

“If it’s a fight they want, let’s give ‘em one!” Being a good little rebellious Al Bhed Rikku was looking forward to dishing out some much-desired revenge on those who’d killed many of her people. 

“Prepare to charge!” The first guard called to the others scattered along the Highbridge, but before any one could move there was a shout from the gates. 

“STOP!” 

Everyone watched as a greenish blur rushed into their midst and came to a stop, revealing a panting Shelinda. The young acolyte looked between the groups and her eyes settled on the two Summoners standing behind the protective row of people. 

“Captain?” A guard blurted out in his surprise.

“Lady Yuna and Master Harry are not to be harmed!” She proclaimed loudly, making the guards murmur in surprise and confusion. “They are not traitors! That was just a rumor spread by some evil Al Bhed!” 

Tidus’s arm lashed out at the last second to lay a steadying hand on Rikku’s shoulder as her jaw dropped. “WHAT?!”

“Maester Mika himself told me.” Shelinda continued to lecture the guards, completely ignoring Rikku’s incredulous outburst. The men looked between themselves.

“Then… what are we to do?” one asked hesitantly. 

“Stand down!” Rikku ordered shortly, still fuming. 

Shelinda happily nodded along with her this time. “As she says.” 

The guards nodded stiffly but did as they where told, resuming their original positions along the Highbridge. 

Rikku put her hands on her hips and frowned as the other woman turned back to them. “What was that about evil Al Bhed?” She demanded.

Shelinda come closer and swiped her forehead with her sleeve, rubbing her face tiredly. “I… Truly, I do not understand it myself. All Yevon seems to be in a state of confusion. Why, yesterday they called me out of the blue and made me captain of the guard!”

“Short on believers?” Auron asked with an amused snort. 

“Yes, the chaos in the temples is worse than I’d imagined. It’s horrible! And all the priests do is blame each other. I worry what will become of Yevon. But no! I must be the rock that stands against the swirling tides, right? Lady Yuna, I must tell you, your courage has been a great inspiration to me.” She beamed at the other girl and Yuna looked down. 

“About that.” Yuna began quietly. Through out her journey, Shelinda had always been there as a friend to say hello when they needed it and Yuna had become rather fond of her. “I think you deserve to know, that I gave up my pilgrimage.” Shelinda gasped and Yuna looked up, a small smile on her face. 

“But it’s alright, because I found a new purpose.” The acolyte turned captain stared. 

“Whatever do you mean, Lady Yuna?” the Ex-Summoner looked over at Harry and Shelinda followed her gaze. 

“I am a guardian now, and I believe that Summoner Harry will be the one to bring in the eternal calm.” She said, her words confident as the day she’d spoken them on the steps of Zanarkand’s Cloister of Trials. Shelinda looked Harry over, almost appraisingly before she nodded. 

“That’s okay.” She said brightly. “I still think you’re brave to go with them.” Yuna smiled back before Tidus, finally getting impatient with the chatter, broke in. 

“Yeah, that’s great, but we came here to see Maester Mika. Is he here?” Everyone regained their focus and looked at the captain.

Shelinda’s eyes widened at being put on the spot but she managed to talk without stammering. “Yes, I shall arrange an audience. Please wait in the courtroom.” She waved over a guard to escort them into the city and ran off. 

“Hey, hey, wait!” Rikku called after her but by the time she’d shaken off the grouchy mood somewhat it was already to late. “What was all that stuff about the Al Bhed lying?” She grumbled again as she followed the others, her face twisted into a scowl. 

“Simple.” Auron said, passing her. “We have become Mika’s only hope.” He said it like it explained everything and it did. Mika was barely in control as it was and he’d needed a way of placating the malcontents until he could figure something else, so he’d merely blamed his mistakes on the most convenient scapegoats, meaning, the Al Bhed. 

“Oh… okay.” 

“Just what does he think he can get away with?” Lulu didn’t sound so agreeable to the idea either as she shook her head. 

“Maybe we should teach him some manners!” Gatta piped up in defense of his girlfriend before they lapsed into silence for the rest of the trip. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

“Why are you here?!” 

When they made their way onto the upper tiers of the courtroom they found themselves facing a fuming old man who’s long gray mustache was shifting back and forth almost comically as he glared at them from the same place he’d been standing during their earlier farce of a trial. “You must go and defeat Sin, quickly! You have obtained the Final Aeon from Yunalesca, have you not?” 

The group shifted restlessly, wondering how they’d break the news, but in the end it was Tidus who spoke out first. “Well, we did meet her.” 

“We fought and defeated her.” Harry came right out and said it, green eyes narrowed in disapproval. 

Mika looked as though someone had just walked up to him and slapped him with a phonebook for the entirety of London, stumbling back as if he’d taken a real blow. “WHAT?”

“Summoners and guardians will be sacrificed for the Final Summoning no more!” Auron added his two cents, his tone almost poisonous. 

Mika was trembling. Whether it was with terror or rage, they weren’t sure, but it was obvious this wasn’t what he’d expected of them. “You have profaned and subverted a thousand-year-old tradition! Fools! Infants! Do you realize what you’ve done? You’ve taken away the only means of calming Sin!”

“No we haven’t!” Harry’s outburst threw the room into silence and the priests that had been moving around on the lower level stopped and stared as the Dark Summoner matched Mika’s glare. “If anything, we have save you from repeating the same mistakes you’ve been making for those thousand years!” His angry bellow seemed to have more effect than Mika’s impotent rage, the Maester shying away from him. “By giving Yevon a new way to respawn you’ve been feeding the misery of the people for so long they’ve almost forgotten what it was like too be happy! They say Sin will disappear when they’ve atoned for their Sin’s, but the one’s who have to atone for them are you!” He cut off his rant, breathing heavily before he waved his hand in a speechless gesture of anger. 

“I don’t even want to look at you.” He said disgustedly and stormed off, feeling for the path down to the Cloister of Trials so he could speak to the Fayth. Tidus stayed a moment longer and glared at the unsent Maester one last time before he too followed.

“The final summon can’t be the only way.” Yuna took up the job of spokesperson. “We already have a plan for another.” 

“Why… Preposterous! There is no other way…” Mika trailed off somewhat weakly. 

“The Grand Maester, running away?” Auron taunted his fellow undead, taking a menacing step in his direction. 

Mika shook his head, not even listening to a word said around him anymore. “Spira has lost its only hope. Destruction is inevitable. Yu Yevon’s spiral of death will consume us all. I have no desire to watch Spira die.” 

“It won’t die!” Yuna ground out somewhat impatiently. 

“And just who is Yu Yevon?” Gatta spoke out boldly, focusing on the name.

“Yes, Lady Yunalesca also mentioned him.” Lulu confirmed, dark eyes pinning the Maester with a look. 

“Hey, gramps! Who’s Yu Yevon?” Rikku waved her hand in the Maester’s face to get his attention back on the subject. 

The unsent’s eyes where misty, remembering something that he’d once been told a very, very long time ago. 

“He who crafts the souls of the dead into an unholy armor. An armor called Sin. Clad in it, Yu Yevon is invincible. And the only thing that could have pierced that armor, you have destroyed! Nothing can stop him now!” With a final distraught cry the pyreflies that made up his very being appeared, releasing the illusion of life and scattering into the shadows. 

“Disappear on us, will ya!” Wakka gave a small growl of frustration. “Rotten son of a Shoopuf!” 

It was only a few seconds before they heard a scurry of footsteps and Shelinda appeared on one of the lower terraces. 

“Where… where is the Grand Maester?” She asked, looking around for him.

“He, ummm…” Yuna looked helplessly at the other guardians and Auron took pity on her. 

“He’s not here yet. How long must we wait?” 

Shelinda’s brow furrowed in confusion, she could have sworn he’d been there earlier. “That’s odd… I’ll go look for His Grace.” With a small bow, she raced off once more. The guardians looked between each other and then at the door Harry had walked out of. 

It looked as though they where in for a longer wait. 

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

The amber covered statue of the Fayth pulsed with a gentle light as Harry entered the Chamber of the Fayth, Tidus beside him. It wasn’t until he’d been listening to the ringing thrum of the Hymn for a full minute that he finally calmed down enough to think. Crossing the stone floor he bowed to the statue before gratefully going to his knees. Tired of all the walking already. 

It didn’t take long for the Fayth to respond, and soon they where staring at the small childlike form of Bahamut as he floated before them. 

**“Hello.”** He greeted simply and Tidus half waved to him before dropping easily to sit down by Harry. 

“Hey, so what’s up?” Bahamut floated lazily for a moment before copying them. 

**“Have you found a way to truly defeat Sin?”** He asked. 

“Well… we think so.” Tidus answered, looking down at Harry’s dark hair and Bahamut switched his focus. 

**“Well?”**

“I’ve seen the Armor of Immorality before.” Harry explained. “Although I don’t know how they found it or why it was used. The last I saw of it was in the final battle with Voldemort.” Bahamut stared at him thoughtfully. 

**“The war…”** he explained dreamily. **“Spira and Zanarkand where at war, and the people of Zanarkand felt they had nothing left. So they delved deep into history and found the record of the spell. They thought that maybe they could use it to leave their mark on Spira. An everlasting revenge on the people who threatened them before they where whipped out.”** It made sense, at least to a point. It was amazing how much the need for revenge could hurt the people that loved you. Yevon had ended up killing more of his own people than the enemy. 

“We were going to use the Hymn of the Fayth to slow it down.” Tidus explained. 

**“Hmmmm… perhaps.”** Bahamut seemed to come to the same conclusion they did. **“But it won’t be enough to stop it completely. It has been a long time since your father became Sin… he might not hear our song so well anymore.”**

Tidus nodded in understanding his mind drifting slightly as he was reminded of something else the Fayth had told him amid the dreamers on Gagazet, but he didn’t ask about it. Eventually, Bahamut spoke again.

**“If it works, what will you do then? You need more than the Hymn.”** They sat in another comfortable silence. 

“We’ll fight the spell caster.” Harry looked at the Fayth and his Guardian. 

“To end the spell holding the Armor together we’ll need to weaken him first. That’s where the Aeons will come in.” He stared into the shadows of Bahamut’s hood. “Once we pass the external shell, we can confront Jecht, and once that is gone, the caster will revert to energy in order to remain on this plane. Usually, if my guess is correct, it would have the Final Summoning to possess as a new body shortly after its old one dissolved. Without that backup, we can force the spirit to possess something else… something weaker, and once that is destroyed we can go through all the Aeons we have until the spirit is diminished to the point of no return. Making it weak enough to kill without any serious harm.” Bahamut stared at him for a long time before his lips curved in a smile.

**“And thus the dreamers can finally sleep.”** He concluded to Harry’s nod. 

“You’ve been dreaming a long time, haven’t you.” Tidus looked at the Fayth, tiredly. Almost feeling the power that was ever so slowly ebbing away, just like the Fayth couldn’t go on dreaming forever… dreaming about him. 

Bahamut caught his train of thought and lowered his head, the shadow of his hood growing deeper. **“I’m sorry.”** Tidus waved his hand dismissively once more, getting slowly to his feet. 

“I’m grateful.” Harry looked between them, his face unreadable before he turned to Tidus.

“Could you… could you wait outside for a moment?” The blonde stared at him in surprise for a moment before the eventually turned and walked out of the Chamber. Harry tightened his mental defenses to block him out and faced the Fayth.

The boy stared back, as Harry sat up properly and folded his hands in front of him.

Bahamut started singing again.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------

 

The rapid pitter patter of footsteps on the carpet announced Shelinda’s presence before she came into view around the corner, panting heavily and wearing a worried frown. 

“I’m sorry, but it appears that Grand Maester Mika is nowhere to be found.” It was more than obvious that she found this news disturbing. Tidus made his way to the front of the group and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“It’s okay. We were just leaving… I’m sure Mika will turn up somewhere.” It was a barefaced lie, but Shelinda didn’t know that. She smiled at them haggardly before Rikku made a loud squeak. 

“Hey! Maybe you could help us with the Hymn.” She suggested, bouncing in place.

“That’s actually a good idea.” Tidus looked over his shoulder teasingly and Rikku poked her tongue out at him before bounding to Shelinda and taking her by the arm, babbling enthusiastically. 

“It’s like, we need you to tell as many people as you can!” 

“What should I tell them?” The young red head asked apprehensively, eyeing the bouncing Al Bhed nervously. 

“A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth. When the hear it, we need everyone to sing along!” 

“Everyone in Bevelle.” Wakka enthused, picking up on Rikku’s almost contagious excitement. 

Shelinda frowned faintly. “I’m not sure I understand.” 

“You don’t have to!” Rikku laughed, “Just tell everyone!” 

“A ship in the sky will sing the Hymn of the Fayth? So when they hear it, everyone should sing along, correct?” The previously sheltered woman was still confused, but she was warming up to the idea of everyone singing the Hymn together. Maybe it would help to cool some of the brewing tempers. 

“If they do,” Harry was the one who endeavored to explain. “We might be able to distract Sin long enough to defeat it.” 

That got her attention.

Shelinda’s expression lit up. “Truly?” 

“Yes.” Yuna assured her from the back of the group, going along with everyone else. 

Shelinda smiled, and they knew they’d finally managed to convince her to do it. “That’s wonderful, you can count on me! I shall tell the whole city!” With that, she span around and all but skipped to the nearest cluster of guards who in turn hurried out of the temple to spread the news. Rikku looked around proudly and dusted her hands together, ridding them of imaginary dirt. Their job here was done, for now.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------

 

The month following their visit to Bevelle went slowly for the Summoners and Guardians. 

Using the Al Bhed Airship as a home base they all went their separate ways to make their preparations for an assault on Sin. Before they left, Cid had given them all homing beacons attuned to their sphereocilofinder, that would help them keep track of them and make it easier to call them when they needed a lift. 

Kimahri was first to disembark, going back to Gagazet in order to look for any survivors of Seymour’s massacre with a promise to meet up with them all again in Luca when he eventually made his way to see the Ronso Blitz ball team that Wakka had so graciously reminded him off. 

O'aka left them shortly after, for the forests of Macalania when he found news of his brother. Wantz had left Besaid when he heard that his Merchant brother had become a guardian and hadn’t really believed it until O'aka had dragged Harry out of the room he shared with Tidus after a long night of… personal activities… fortunately, he hadn’t needed to speak, or he mightn’t have managed to think straight enough to respond. 

Rikku and Gatta, where always moving around as they went from place to place on orders from Cid to check on all the small Al Bhed conclaves that where built away from Home, as well as helping out the search effort for survivors on Bikanel. 

Lulu, Wakka and Yuna returned to Besaid, getting only a lukewarm welcome as the messenger from Bevelle telling of Yuna’s innocence as a traitor had arrived only hours before them and soon, Auron, Harry and Tidus where the only one’s left living on the airship. Though, even then, Auron kept to himself, brooding when he wasn’t taking day trips away from the ship in whatever place they’d stopped to train.

Harry finally got to see Rowena again. The Fayth that once represented Knowledge among the Students and Teachers of Hogwarts and now, had become the Fayth of Besaid, had remembered him, even if he had just been a faint memory of a Summoner that found her many centuries ago. She’d been delighted to hear from him again, if only because he remembered what it was like in the ‘old world’. In return she told him some of the things she’d seen through the eyes of her Summon over the last couple of thousand years. 

But in the end, their final stop was the Calm lands. 

After doing some research, and getting the airship to fly over the region, he’d found a temple that could only be accessed by Chocobo’s, and a cave within the great ravine left over from his own battle. 

It seemed oddly appropriate that his best friend had been left there to rot for thousands of years. Just knowing that made Harry feel better as he steeled himself to enter the cavern of the lost Fayth. 

Ron shouldn’t have been such a prat, dropping that bombshell on him in the first place.


	23. Treasured Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting up with some old friends...

The cave was dark and dank with poisonous jets of gas and pyreflies that where drawn by memories and death, flitting around between half exposed fossils of centaurs, Unicorns and other creatures that had dwelled in the forbidden forest centuries ago. They made halting progress, killing the fiends as they went and quietly sliding past a few of the larger ones when they where to big to kill on their own. Eventually, Harry and Tidus reached the back of the cavern where an innocent looking teleportation pad awaited them, half buried in the sand. Without a word Harry stood on it and the blonde joined him before it activated. Light blossomed around them as they passed out of phase with the real world and rushed at blurring speeds through the rubble wall that had stood to one side of the chamber. 

When they finally rematerialized Harry stumbled and fell getting off the teleportation pad. It reminded him somewhat of a portkey… well at least it felt like one. Dusting himself off he examined the room they’d been transported to. Behind the rubble wall was a naturally hewn stone room with hastily placed seals and glyphs crisscrossing the glowing amber stone at its center. Harry peered down at it and all his thoughts where confirmed when he saw the stone samurai amour embedded in the depths. 

Completely ignoring protocol Harry leaned out over it and struck the stone with his staff, making it ring. 

“Ron, get out here right now!” 

Okay, maybe he was still more than a little pissed off at him.

Slowly, almost as if he was trying to avoid appearing at all, Ron became visible, floating in the space above the stone. 

_“Hello, Harry.”_ He said quietly as the ghostly version of Sirius’s animagus form zipped around him, barking loudly before attempting to jump out of the stone’s field of influence to slobber on him before it finally planted itself as close to his feet as it could get and peered up at him with big blue, unusually human eyes. 

Harry had to fight the urge to start crying.

Instead, he channeled all his emotion into rage and set Ron with a dark glare that made the red head look down, his ears slowly burning red. He could deal with Harry raging on in a dream, but here, faced with him in real life it was much harder to rise above emotion. 

“So what do you have to say for yourself?” Harry asked, and Ron flinched at the ice in his tone. 

_“Harry, I’m so sorry but it couldn’t be helped!”_ He started out loudly, trying to keep the pained look off his face and failing. _“After we died they gave us a chance to keep going, possibly as your Summons, but then you went missing and even we didn’t know where you’d gone. Hermione, Luna and Ginny took the offer too, but Neville and Remus refused and passed on. It had been so long since you’d vanished that we began to loose hope of ever seeing you again, and then Sin came. Yu Yevon started to use us like Voldemort tried to…”_ He trailed off and looked at him, somewhat helpless. _“We had to stop him, and the dream was our only way, but we honestly had no idea that you where there the whole time…that you…”_ With that said he went silent, eyes flicking momentarily to Tidus before staring down at his own prison once more. 

It was quiet for a long time before Harry took a slow breath and spoke.

“Bahamut, confirmed as much.” Ron’s head shot up at the words, but Harry just crouched down, examining Padfoot and ignoring his reaction. “But I wanted to hear it from you.” 

“Neville reincarnated, I think.” He went on, still steadfastly looking away from Ron as the red head’s jaw dropped. “There’s a guardian in my party, called O'aka. He was born on Besaid, and wanted to be a merchant, but when I looked at him it was just like seeing into Neville again. His magic had been sealed away and I unsealed it. Ever since, it’s been like Nev was there, more and more. I really missed everyone, after the battle, you all just left me there on my own.” He sighed heavily and stood up straight, ignoring the painful tingle of pins and needles that came with kneeling like that. “But I don’t hate you for it. I was mad at you, but now I’ve spoken with Bahamut again I’ll be okay, and with that I need your help.” Ron perked up again slightly as Harry explained to new plan and for a moment the youngest male Weasley looked as though he was going to be difficult. 

_“Weelllll…”_ He drew out the word, his tone unsure. _“… I usually charge about two million, five hundred thousand Gil up front for my services… and more based on the individual attacks… uhhhh…”_ He trailed off, eyes widening when he noticed Harry glaring at him poisonously. 

“Ron.” He growled out a warning. He chuckled nervously. 

_“Uh heh, why don’t I give you a discount, how about just two million Gil instead?”_ The green eyed teen crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot impatiently in a fairly good imitation of Hermione. 

_“One million, eight hundred?”_ Ron tried for the final time.

“RONALD BILLUS WEASLEY!!” The red head nearly jumped out of his skin when Harry started channeling the Weasley Matriarch, practically roaring his displeasure. “THE WORLD IS GOING TO HELL AND ALL YOU CAN STILL THINK ABOUT IS MONEY?! WHY WOULD A DEAD MAN NEED ALL THAT GIL FOR ANYWAY??!!” Thoroughly cowed Ron flinched as the telling off Harry had been saving up since arriving in Spira suddenly burst forth. 

_“Alright! Alright, already! I’ll do it for free!”_ Ron called pleadingly, sending a dirty look at Tidus who was once again snickering in the background. Harry abruptly stopped his raging and stared at his best friend with a small smile. 

“Good.” He said boldly and Ron could only stare incredulously as he realized Harry had been manipulating him all along. 

_“That was real low Harry.”_ He glowered faintly and the Summoner grinned unrepentantly. With a huff Ron turned to light and burst forward, hitting Harry’s chest with a little more force than necessary before the dog followed, licking Harry sloppily before it vanished. 

“Euughh.” Harry scrubbed his face clean of the slobber and turned to stare disdainfully back at the teleportation pad. “Alright, lets go find the girls.” Tidus nodded and they left the rubble-enclosed room, Harry thinking once again of the irony of Ron’s situation as a memory of second year flashed through his mind. His friend had been on the other side of a rock fall then too.

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

“So you want to go to Remiem?” The lady climbed down from her Chocobo and watched it for a moment as it trotted off to join the flock before turning back to them. 

“I’m afraid with all the refugee’s from Bevelle I don’t have any trained Chocobo’s for you to use, but if you want to go badly enough I’ll let you train one of the wild one’s yourself.” Tidus and Harry looked at each other. 

“I’ll train one.” Tidus took a step closer and the woman nodded. 

“Alright then, first step, catching one.” She waved a hand behind her to the wild flock. Tidus grinned and easily walked closer before offering his hand to the nearest bird. It blinked at him and ‘warked’ softly before others trotted over and Tidus picked out the healthiest looking one there, carefully drawing it back toward the older woman, who was waiting with a set of reins and a harness. The bird shrugged uncomfortably as they wrestled on the reins and the woman stood back. “Alright, now, there’s a number of exercises that you can do to bring it under control, but I was wondering… when you get the hang of riding, will you race me? It’s so hard these days to find any challengers.” Tidus shrugged and agreed before Harry wondered into the outpost they’d stayed in on their way through the Calm Lands the first time. 

There were far more people here than before. 

As the Chocobo Lady had said, most of them where refugees from Bevelle, the honest families that had nothing to do with the political maneuvering and didn’t feel safe with all of Yevon in Chaos. On the other hand, at least a third of the people there where Al Bhed and with the number of people, the single tent in the middle of the grassland plain, was starting to look like a village instead. Harry moved through the tents, greeting the occasional Al Bhed that knew him or stopping to play with the children that had banded together to run around the camp. Eventually he came across a familiar form seated by one of the campfires, a wooden mug of tea steaming in his hand. 

“Maechen?” The old scolar jumped, nearly spilling his drink. 

“Oh, Summoner Harry?” He inquired once he’d recovered from the surprise. “Oh it is good to see you again.” He muttered on like an ailing old man. “You haven’t managed to defeat Sin yet I don’t suppose?” Harry shook his head and gratefully took a seat nearby.

“Pity, oh well, I’m sure you will do it eventually. You know, there was once another Summoner with the name Harry.” He mused more to himself than anyone else, obviously forgetting that they’d had a similar conversation before in almost exactly the same place. “I knew him well… I think. He was a very good Summoner and inspired many to follow in his path. Why, I myself gave it a go, but as it was, I had a far better memory for history than spells. You know, it was odd, because for most of my Youth, I spent my time sleeping through history classes, as opposed to memorizing them. In fact, the only person ever recorded to have remained awake during one of those lessons was none other than the Legendary Guardian Hermione Granger, the black mage who protected the Master Summoner, I knew her too… once…” 

It was then as he trailed off and began to stare into the fire that Harry realized he was talking to. 

“Collin?” He whispered, his voice to low to really carry. Speaking louder he got Maechen’s attention once more. 

“Dennis said to tell you he said hello, and that he’d see you on the farplane.” He commented offhandedly, it sounded lame to his own ears, and the last part had been mostly made up, but Maechen…no, Collin didn’t seem to notice that he’d changed the subject of the conversation. 

“Ahhh? Oh yes, my brother.” Collin’s mind seemed to wonder away again. “It was nice of him to send word. I’m afraid I don’t get to visit him as often as I used to. The mountain it so difficult to climb this time of year.” 

Harry had never felt so out of place as he had right then. 

Collin barely remembered him as more than a figure in history and it was strange not to be recognized in some form or another. Adding to the fact Collin had probably been his most avid follower all those years ago and he couldn’t help but feel the sting. He lapsed into silence and only half listened as Collin launched into a story about the history of the Hymn of the Fayth. 

It had started out as the song of Merlin and the Fayth before it became a public anthem of sorts to the people of Zanarkand when Summoning became their specialty. Yu Yevon, who had been a resident of Zanarkand, had absolutely detested the song and had banned it before he had used the Armour of Immorality. After that his order had spread and the Al Bhed had taken up singing the song as a form of rebellion against the order of Yevon before in an attempt to suppress the use of the song, the order had adopted it as part of their faith, thus the reason why it was so popular today. 

“Hey! Someone challenged the Chocobo Lady!” Harry was shaken out of his musings a couple of hours later when someone yelled from the edge of the camp and he looked up to see a man pointing off in the direction of Macalania. Following his gaze to the cliff that overlooked the immense grasslands he could only just make out the specks of gold that represented a pair of Chocobo’s and wondered how the man had even seen them in the first place. He got up from his seat, wincing at the numb feeling garnered from sitting down so long he made his way back to the edges of the camp where a crowd had gathered. 

“Hey! Hey! Betting here!” One Al Bhed shouted as he passed. “Odds are 1:5 on the Chocobo Lady!” Seeing them all run to watch made Harry move a little faster and soon he broke away from the edge of the crowd, only now able to see the course that had been set up in the last couple of hours. 

Balloons where everywhere while there where people stationed on the edges of the Balloon clouds all holding mechanical looking birds that chirped with clockwork. 

“It’s the Chocobo Lady’s obstacle course.” A man had moved up beside him, clad in a long blue coat that told he was used to the cooler climates of Spira. His eyes were squinted in a smile and his face was lined with age, the kind of premature wrinkles that appeared on the short-lived adventurers. He made himself comfortable standing and leaned closer.

“I’ll tell you something… This obstacle course is special, because even though a rider might come last, there’s still a chance that they could win!” Harry looked at him as the man gave him a conspiratorial smile. “The secret to it is to win, while popping as many Balloons as you possibly can and avoiding the birds.” He pointed to the people on the course. “They hold them until the racers get close and release them. If they get hit, it’s another eight seconds on their overall time, while popping the balloons takes time off.” He broke off grinning as somewhere on the wide plain there was a thunderous crack and suddenly they where off! The two Chocobo’s raced neck and neck until the one bearing the Chocobo Lady suddenly veered off course. She shot toward a balloon and her bird deftly popped it with its sharp beak. 

‘Oh…’ Harry thought as he watched Tidus pass another balloon. ‘She didn’t tell him! Cheater!’ With that little indignation in mind he concentrated through the yelling and cheering around him and sought out Tidus. 

_‘… what is it?’_

The blonde was obviously distracted by the race.

_‘Go for the balloons!’_ Harry thought hurriedly. _‘Make your Chocobo pop them as you pass and avoid the birds!’_ The blonde brought his focus back to the course in time to turn the bend from the cliff he’d been running on out onto the plains and pull his Chocobo sharply to the left to avoid the mechanical avian that nearly bashed into his head. Harry didn’t need to be able to hear thoughts to know that he was cursing. 

From then on Tidus was all over the course, his Chocobo darting erratically from one side of the track to the other as it popped the bright balloons and dodged the birds. Shouts became louder as they approached the finish line and suddenly, the bird holders didn’t seem to be holding back. They let go of a continuous barrage and both racers where hit at least twice as they charged toward the end. Then before Harry could blink it was over. The Lady had crossed the finish line first at 44 seconds and Tidus had only been a few steps behind her, having taken 2 and a half more. Their Chocobo slowed to a stroll and they made their way back toward the camp as a group of the bird holders huddled together discussing something. 

Harry was just about to look for Tidus again when one of them seemed to jump and staggered back in shock. 

“Oh, that don’t look good.” The man who had explained the race to him squinted harder to see. Harry finally looked back to Tidus who had been closer to the cluster of people. 

‘What was that about?’ He wondered and the distant blonde turned back to see, replying a moment later. 

_‘Harry! I won!’_ Even in his thoughts Tidus sounded incredulous and he relayed the scores that had been hastily jotted down. Even though he’d come second with 46.5 seconds, the number of balloons he’d popped far outnumbered those of the lady trainer, and she had been hit at least five times by the mechanical birds, compared to his two. To make matters more unbelievable he’d managed to accidentally smash the time record, by negative 3 seconds. 

Needless to say, the trainer had been shell-shocked, watching numbly as Tidus suddenly began to dote over his Chocobo like a proud parent bouncing slightly all the while. One of the bird handlers turned and made a hand sign to the camp and the adventurer in blue couldn’t help but let his jaw drop. 

“Oh my…” He breathed out. “The Chocobo Lady lost!” Some of the people around him groaned when he said that, reluctantly handing over gil to pay for their lost bets and others began to cheer and clap, having done the exact opposite. 

“Never! Never in my life have I seen my wife beaten at her own game.” The adventurer suddenly grinned. “I guess I can still be surprised from time to time.” That done he started out across the plain, closing the gap between the contestants and himself. As he reached them Tidus broke away from the small gaggle of people and his Chocobo streaked across the grass to where Harry was still waiting. The moment he arrived he was swamped with well wishers until he finally pulled away and trotted over to Harry. 

“Did you see that!” He was grinning from ear to ear as he vaulted off the enormous yellow bird and swept him up in a bear hug. Harry just hung there limply until his Guardian finally put him down. 

“I saw it.” He assured him. “Now, don’t we have a Temple to get too?” The blonde sobered slightly at that but the cheer didn’t completely vanish from his demeanor as they gathered up everything and said their goodbyes to the people in the camp before getting back up on the Chocobo, who was preening under all the attention it was getting. 

“G’yup.” Tidus clucked to the bird and tugged on the reins, turning it around and heading for the place the Chocobo lady had said the entry to the temple was, leaving the camp and it’s people to vanish into the horizon.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

The first thing Harry noticed, looking out at the twisted honeycomb shaped spires of Remiem temple, was the soft breeze that blew through the valley surrounded entirely by cliffs and mountains. 

The second thing he noticed was the drop.

Amazingly enough the temple was suspended above a hole that went down so far gloom obscured the bottom from sight long before there actually was anything to hit. Harry swore it was deeper than the chasm he’d created with Gaia’s final attack. The building itself hung from a number of enormously thick chains that hummed with old power, preserving their integrity and keeping the structure aloft. It was a marvel of architecture and engineering and the Summoner couldn’t help but feel awed that his friends had been placed in a temple like this. 

The wide rope bridge that connected the Temple to the gap in the mountains they’d crossed through, swung slightly as their Chocobo padded across it, heading for the temple proper. Other wild birds where gathered around the balconies, chirping loudly to each other as they wound through the paths that where suspended under and around the enormous building. Almost as if they where racing themselves. 

Harry shivered and drew his robes tighter around himself as they passed into the shadow of the building. The temperature dropped still as they dismounted before the doors. Acting on instinct Harry approached them and held up his staff, channeling his magic through it and in turn, into the door. Three large symbols appeared and glowed brightly before the seal on the door broke and the stone slid apart. They peered into the darkness for a moment before stepping inside, the Summoner flinching slightly as the doors slammed shut behind them. For all of a second they stood there in absolute darkness, then soft light blossomed into being and they found themselves standing in a large circular room. Statues, almost insect like in appearance, lined the walls where the floor dropped away into darkness and all held a large basin that glowed with magical fire. But, it wasn’t them that held their attention riveted. It was the person standing in the center of the room, amid the large looping circles that ran across the floor. 

The green clad figure raised their head and revealed the slightly rounded face of a woman, framed by brown hair that peeked messily out from under the rim of her hat. 

“Welcome, Summoner. I am the Lady Belgamine” Her voice was soft, but at the same time, it sounded hardened by experience. Harry shifted nervously, wondering how long she had been down here in the dark… alone. As if she could hear his thoughts she smiled gently, letting the shape waver for just a moment as pyreflies scattered into the air. 

“I see you know what I am.” She said after a moment. “I do not wish to harm you, only to test you.” She signaled them closer and they approached, noticing something familiar in her face as they went, but they couldn’t place the resemblance.

“Test me?” Harry asked as they stopped a few feet away. The woman continued to smile.

“For years now, I’ve waited here. This is the place I died, never having reached Zanarkand, but in my failure to reach the end of my journey, I swore myself to take on a new role in Sin’s defeat.” Her eyes wondered and her smile became more strained as she remembered.

“It is a lesser known fact, that the power of the Aeon, comes from the Summoner themselves. The stronger the Summoner, the stronger their Aeons. I reached the pinnacle of my strength before my death and remained there afterward. Now, I challenge those who come seeking this Fayth’s power, for those who can not defeat me, will never have the power to defeat Sin.” Her gaze focused back on the present. 

“As the trial of this temple, I propose a Contest.” Harry’s attention snapped to her. 

“A Contest?” He queried. 

“A Contest of Aeons.” Belgamine confirmed, lifting her hands, palms upward. “Are you ready? The first to exhaust their resources will lose, so choose your Aeon’s wisely.” Her hands twisted in a graceful motion and the summoning magic burst into life around her, taking the shape of Valefore’s Summoning Circle as a strong gust of wind came out of nowhere, forcibly blowing Tidus away from the playing field, even as Harry remained unaffected. 

Valfore soared into the chamber through the layers of reality and pulled up short of the stonework. Hovering above the ground, patiently awaiting the Summoner’s next command.

Committed to the course Harry took a deep breath and stepped forward, raising his staff to chest level and easily spinning it around his fingers. Sparks formed as a result of friction and grew as they fell from his hands, giving the impression of a waterfall of fire. As it hit the ground it began to burn away at the stone and as it formed a glowing pattern in the molten circle, the ground cracked. There was a rumble and the ground shot up to reveal Ifrit. The fire demon flexed and roared before landing on the ground, catching Harry and setting him down. He’d only just taken a few steps back when Valefore swooped at it’s fiery counterpart. Ifrit let out another berserk cry and latched his claws onto Valefore’s legs as it pecked him in the face. The Avian panicked and beat its wings wildly to free itself and suddenly glowed, casting a blizzard spell that sent Ifrit reeling, forcing him to let go in the face of the opposing element. Growling he cast a spell of his own, except the fire spell was directed at himself. There was a noticeable change when the dulled flames that encased his limbs brightened again in time to take the next swooping attack from Valefore. 

Ifrit rolled aside nimbly and charged up a meteor attack that he promptly hurled through the air. Valefore took the hit and gave an ear splitting screech as its feathers where set on fire. Ifrit tried to take advantage of its distraction to finish it off when Belgamine’s voice echoed throughout the chamber. 

“Stop, that is enough.” Valefore’s cry’s silenced as it was dismissed from the field of play and Ifrit let out a roar of Triumph before he stalked back to Harry’s side. 

“Well fought, Summoner.” She acknowledged, “But Valefore was only the first. Choose another Aeon for the next round, or keep the one you have now, the choice is yours.” Ifrit looked back at Harry and Harry made a stay gesture with his hand. Grunting with satisfaction the Fire Aeon settled back on his haunches in a relaxed stance. Belgamine noted the action and nodded. 

“Very well.” She lifted a hand again, waving it sharply through the air and there was a rumbling noise as five enormous icicles formed above her and slammed into the earth behind her. Then a glassy form appeared, floating down from the heavens to possess the crystals before they shattered and sprayed the room with ice. The now fully formed ice queen discarded her over robe and smirked at her opponent as she took her traditional stance. 

The living Summoner’s face crumpled with a frown as he suddenly regretted keeping Ifrit out on the playing field. He made to dismiss the beast but there was a sudden resistance and Ifrit growled at him. Suddenly, he could feel what the Aeon was feeling and more than ever, Ifrit wanted to continue his battle with his other half. It was a legendary tale, even Harry had heard. The Aeon’s Ifrit and Shiva where exact opposites, but at the same time one would never be able to exist without the other, as lovers, as siblings or as rivals, what ever way the story was told they where meant to be together, even if the only time they saw each other now was in the heat of battle. 

Harry let his hands drop and backed down from that argument. Ifrit wanted to fight.

With his participation decided Ifrit charged head first into the fray, small clouds of boiling steam springing up where he stepped on the piles of Ice left over from Shiva’s initial summoning. The icy goddess blurred out of view in response and appeared beside her counterpart, delivering a well-aimed uppercut at the underside of Ifrit’s muzzle. Ifrit moved with the blow and rolled over backwards, his powerful hind legs lashing out as he went, catching Shiva and the stomach and sending her flying back into a pillar. The fire Demon followed up by casting fire after her and the first spell hit, but his second attempt at the same tactic was thwarted by a Nul-Blaze spell that appeared virtually out of nowhere. 

Shiva retaliated, the tinkle of moisture becoming ice sounding throughout the air. A boulder the size of Ifrit himself formed in the air above her head and she propelled it at him with enough force to splatter him against the closed door, forcing Harry to leap out of the way in the process. 

Ifrit groaned weakly as his dwindling flames tried to burn away at the ice, but it was doomed to failure as the boulder leaned against him. He’d lost this round. 

This time when Harry made the move to Dismiss Ifrit didn’t protest.

“Choose again Summoner.” Belgamine prompted from across the room. Harry gave her a dark look before a shield of energy sprang up around him just in time to protect him from the sudden violent burst of lightning that crashed down around him. He swung up his staff to catch the chain of lightning that extended from the large Summoning circle behind him. This time, pulling Ixion free of the Summoning realm wasn’t even a challenge as he broke through and pranced slightly in place before him, wearing no sign that he’d even suffered that defeat at Yuna and Ifrit’s hands in the past. 

“This time Ixion won’t lose.” Harry promised to himself as he gestured for Ixion to attack first. The Lightning Aeon didn’t waste a second, manipulating the air around him for an Aerospark. The vacuum blades made by the attack raced through the air and impacted with his opponent. Where as Shiva and Ifrit had been on relatively even grounds in terms of power and size, Ixion was a different species all together. The equine couldn’t be punched or grappled with like Ifrit and it’s horn would probably mean Shiva’s death if she got close enough to gore. Still that didn’t stop her from opening up a barrage from a distance. Blizzard spells soared through the air and Ixion charged, lowering his horn and grazing her side with the tip as he thundered past, Shiva having dodged at the last second. Skidding to a stop, Ixion wheeled around on his hind legs and lashed out at the Ice Aeon, delivering a powerful, blow to the side of her head. 

Dazed, she stumbled and flipped, her feet becoming her weapons as Ixion landed and she kicked the incoming horn aside, falling on her hands as her other foot followed up the attack, creating a sickening sort of crack as it caught Ixion in the neck. The equine stumbled but the damage wasn’t serious enough to slow it down. In fact, the next spell it cast was one Harry had taught it with the idea of never being caught in mind. 

“Haste!” Harry prompted from the sidelines and Ixion vanished in a blur of energy and lightning. Shiva was thrown for a loop, her speed not nearly enough to keep up with her opponent and paid the price when Ixion tossed her into the air and impaled her on the jewel-tasseled horn. There was a quiet gasp from Belgamine as she was dismissed, sparing Ixion the chore of shacking off the corpse. 

“It seems I underestimated your determination to win.” She exclaimed quietly and without any movement on her part the air above her was suddenly filled with clouds. A large Summoning circle appeared and Harry stepped back further as more gusting wind announced the arrival of one of Spira’s greatest Aeons. 

Bahamut, King of Dragons and the Aeon of Bevelle. 

Unlike the others on the playing field so far, Bahamut wasn’t aligned with any one element and his power, even un-enhanced by the abilities of the Summoner, wasn’t anything to scoff at. It took raw power to overwhelm this Aeon and even Harry had to admit that was something Ixion might not have. 

“Quick!” he spoke into Ixion’s ear as the dragon advanced, filling the space of the chamber like a looming cloud. “Overdrive!” The Aeon tossed it’s head in understanding and charged. With a loud whinny it stopped and bucked lightning extending from it’s horn and charging the air around Bahamut, lifting the dragon of the ground and forcing it to hover helplessly in a spherical prison of pure energy. Ixion braced himself and sent another powerful charge up the connection that combined with the existing energy in the cage, could fry anything that got caught in the sphere. 

Bahamut roared and Ixion ended the attack, circling back to Harry. The twitching dragon couldn’t find the ability to control his own singed wings fast enough and went slamming head first into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Everyone waited with baited breath to see what would happen next, but just as suddenly four balls of dark energy shot out of the dust cloud and impacted on Ixion who gave a shrill scream and fell. Seeing that he couldn’t fight after that attack Harry quickly dismissed him and settled on the last Spiran Aeon he had in his arsenal. 

Ron. 

“You better not screw this up, mate.” Harry muttered as he waved his staff, plunging the room into darkness. From there came the illusion of a moon followed shortly by a Cherry Blossom tree that nearly glowed in it’s light. Harry’s thoughts in that second where along the lines of “Why had Ron picked something so… girly.”, when he heard the bark behind him. He span around in time to get bowled over by a dog that wore so much amour you would swear it was just a big metal foot stand. 

“Padfoot?!” After one slobbery lick he pushed him off and got to his feet and the Aeon himself stepped out from behind the tree, his amour clanking in time to his steps. It swamped him like it did Padfoot and not even an inch of the real Ron was visible behind the mask and multi colored cloak. His old friend nodded to him and strode past, settling in a familiar defensive stance he’d used in the past, when he’d once been his guardian. 

“Good to have you back.” He murmured and he could swear Ron was grinning at him before his attention returned to Bahamut. In spite of the use of Ixion’s overdrive he didn’t look all that worse for wear. Only a little singed and bruised. Ron, sometime’s known as Yojimbo, raised a hand, two fingers up and he gathered energy for an attack and came out right away with one of the most powerful. In a flash he’d drawn his blade and with a spin to build momentum, brought it down on Bahamut’s head. The dragon managed to rear back, avoiding the loss of his head, but the magics in the blade weren’t so easily thwarted. There was a sudden drain on Bahamut’s energy and it crashed to one knee, fighting to remain upright. Yojimbo flicked the blood off his blade and re-sheathed it all in one practiced movement. 

As he did though, Padfoot leapt up and rushed at their opponent, changing the distribution of his weight at the last second to deliver a surprisingly powerful kick to the leg supporting Bahamut’s bulk. Then Yojimbo made the final blow of the battle, pulling out a handful of throwing knives that sank deep into the fleshy parts that weren’t covered by Bahamut’s exoskeleton. 

It was obvious almost immediately that the blades had been poisoned and Belgamine spared him the pain by dismissal. 

“That is enough, Summoner Harry.” She murmured and Harry nodded in understanding. 

“Time to go Ron.” Yojimbo bowed awkwardly and walked back into the darkness, Padfoot reluctantly running after him. 

With the Aeon’s no longer there to sustain the effects of their attacks, the damage to the temple started to reverse, leaving the floors and walls in a state that gave the impression that they’d never even seen a battle in their long existence. To the same effect, Tidus was no longer barred and he quickly moved back to his side. Belgamine gave them a faint smile as they approached. 

“It is comforting to know, that their whispering has been true.” She said, making the pair stare at her in confusion. 

“Who?” Tidus was the one who voiced the question and Belgamine’s smile seemed to widen. 

“Why the Fayth of this Temple.” She explained. “They stopped singing long ago, but only recently I have heard their voices again. They whisper how they loved their Summoner in life, enough to die for him, and how he’d come back for them once again… and you did.” She closed her eyes. 

“My time here is over… you would see their spirits finally laid to rest and there would be no need for me to remain as their guardian. I simply have one last wish, of the one who has at last defeated me.” She opened her eyes to meet Harry’s questioning gaze before he nodded taking a few steps closer and beginning the familiar steps of the sending. 

“Good luck… and tell my little brothers I love them. Even in death, I never left their sides.” It was then they managed to pin the resemblance. Belgamine, reminded them of O'aka. It was ironic, how the dead never wanted to leave their loved ones. They lingered as shadows to watch over them… to keep them safe… they’d all been waiting for the day when they’d no longer be needed to protect them, to save them from the ravages of Sin. 

Dennis… Belgamine…

When he sent them, they passed on the torch… their hope for the future and their love. 

Amazing, how humanity could destroy their world and redeem themselves after with such simple emotions. 

It was an awe-inspiring fact. 

 

\---------------------------------

 

**“I ye yu I…”**

**“No bo me no…”**

The air was ringing with song as they walked down the passage that had been revealed with Belgamine’s sending and out into the dimly lit chamber of the Fayth. Harry wasn’t quite so surprised to see that instead of calling out the Fayth, he wouldn’t have to. Three, familiar figures waited there, one blonde girl in white robes with a bottle-cap necklace, another in black robes with bushy hair and smaller redhead in an equally red outfit with a gun clipped to her belt. Their song continued, even when they stopped and smiled at him, expressions of relief on their faces, lit by recognition. 

_“Harry!”_ Hermione was the first to rush forward, followed by Ginny. Seeing as the amber stone was set at floor level and not below it like Ron’s had been, Harry stepped onto it. Even though they weren’t solid in any physical sense they still tried their best to hug him. After a while Ginny drew back and whacked him in the arm, a small addition of magic making the area sting. 

_“Why didn’t you came sooner.”_ She demanded to know, even if there wasn’t any true vehemence in her voice. Harry shook his head. 

“I didn’t know.” He admitted softly. “I missed a lot when I moved forward through time, and I missed you all so much.” They gave him watery smiles, surprisingly understanding. 

_“Well, you’re here now.”_ Hermione backed away as well and went to stand beside Ginny and Luna. _“And that’s all we ever wanted.”_ Harry stepped back onto the stone walkway as they turned to energy, not unlike the way Ron had, and twirled around each other before joining together and moving toward him. Warmth filled him as they each found their places in his soul beside the other Aeons. He managed to turn around and smile at Tidus before all the Summoning’s he’d done that day finally caught up with him and the integration of two more. 

His legs gave out and his eyes drooped as Tidus caught him but the feeling he had when he drifted off was more than enough to comfort him. 

With the exception of one, they where all together again…


	24. Into The Breach

“Where were you?” Rikku demanded as the lift was hauled up into the cargo bay of the Al Bhed Airship. Tidus just rolled his eyes and shifted Harry into a better position before striding down the halls to their rooms, Rikku, and now Gatta, running along behind him. 

“We had to pick up a few things.” Tidus explained as he used an elbow to press the switch that would open their door. 

“What sort of things?” The younger blonde followed him into the room and stood just inside the entry with a foot taping and her hands on her hips. “And why the hell is Harry knocked out?” Tidus rolled his eyes again and set Harry down on the bed before turning and bundling the others out the door, making sure to lock it behind him so no one could just wonder in and disturb the sleeping Summoner. 

“We went after a few Aeons that we didn’t have time to get on the way.” He finally answered her first question properly and the chirpy Al Bhed’s jaw dropped. 

“You WHAT?!” She shrilled and she would have probably started shaking him for answers had Gatta not grabbed her from behind. Tidus huffed impatiently as he waited for her to calm down somewhat. 

“There were two, alright, they where both in the calm lands and one of them had an old Summoner guarding them who challenged Harry to a fight to get past. He passed out because he’s been summoning things all day and would you keep it down!” Rikku stopped struggling in Gatta’s hold and he finally let her go. Rikku walked up to Tidus until her nose was nearly touching his chest and kicked him in the shin. 

“Meanine! That was for not taking us!” And with the last word said she turned away and stalked down the hall, leaving Tidus to hop on one foot while he rubbed the effected area. 

Was it him, or had she gotten stronger?

After a moment he put his foot down and ignored the faint sting that lingered as he set off toward the bridge. Rikku and Gatta where already there, the younger girl having taken a seat of her own in the co-pilots chair, while the Besaid native was off to one side crouched over a table covered with tools and machinery that he was learning to use and repair. 

On the way in he’d passed Auron who merely nodded in acknowledgement before ignoring him again. 

“HEY!” Cid let out a shout as he saw him. “You got everybody on board yet? We’ve got beacons going off everywhere for people needing a lift and there are reports that there have been sightings of Sin off to the North-west of the calm lands. ” As Tidus moved to stand beside him by the Sphereocilofinder he wondered how Harry would react to having the final battle over the place where his old home had been. 

“Yeah, lets go get the others.” Cid whooped and yelled something in Al Bhed to Brother who whooped himself and said something about going after Yuna first. Tidus couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Brother was developing a rather sad crush on his own cousin and Tidus was just waiting to see if Yuna would ever really notice it… and then what she’d do when she did…

As it turned out, it was Kimahri and Yuna they managed to find first anyway. 

They’d migrated north to Macalania woods, having met up in Luca like planned. Until then Lulu and Wakka had been with the now Ex-Summoner but Wakka had stopped for the blitz ball tournaments in Luca and Lulu was currently doing speed training on the Thunder Plains. The constant bolts of lightning forced her to dodge most of the time, therefore with plenty of fiends and the barrage from above, it made an intense training ground. 

Luca was their next port of call. 

O'aka and his brother came the moment they heard that the Airship had docked at the place usually reserved for the Maesters, but Wakka on the other hand…

“Awwww… we lost again, if we don’t win the next round we won’t make the next level.” He sat dejectedly on the bench in the Aurochs change room, the team arrayed around him. Tidus smirked from where he leaned against the wall and casually examined his gloves. 

“Well, maybe you’re just missing something.” The players all jerked from their slouched positions and gasped as they caught sight of the small crowd standing in the door. Yuna, Kimahri, Lulu and O'aka had all followed him from the Airship and now peeked around the frame, Lulu was even smiling wryly at the performance. The red head in the center of the room jumped up like someone had lit a fire under his ass and broke out into an enormous goofy grin that nearly took in his ears. 

“Guys!” He hurried forward to greet them, shoving them through the door and into the midst of the blitzballers before slinging an arm around the blonde’s shoulders. “So you gonna play?” He grilled him and Tidus rolled his eyes.

“I thought you didn’t like me playing?” He watched the look of confusion on the older man’s face with amusement until realization dawned and his ears went red in embarrassment. 

“Oh, nah!” He proclaimed in a slightly higher pitched voice. “It’s okay, you can play that way if you gotta,” His behavior changed slightly. “You just gotta play!” For a moment Tidus considered saying no just to see the look on the pleading guardians face when he did, but he gave up on the idea and rolled his eyes again. 

“Alright, alright, I just know you can’t get enough of my playing brilliance!” Wakka looked a little stunned then began to grin again, possibly wider than before.

“Good, ‘cause we have a match right now!” A warning bell went off for players to assemble and before he knew it he was being dragged out into the hall. 

“Alright! Next match is against the Beasts!” Wakka crowed as the team trailed along behind them toward the entrance to the sphere pool. “Now their captain may only have one eye but he’s still one of their best on defense.” There was a roar from the crowd as they entered out into the stadium and Wakka fell back giving them the thumbs up.

“Just win, ya!” He called and settled back to watch. Tidus rolled his eyes again and joined the other players in the sphere pool, taking up his position as the center forward. The bear of a man set opposite him looked from the blonde back to Wakka and the others who where still watching from the edges of the pool and Tidus let out a small laugh, a few bubbles escaping his mouth while he grinned. The Kilika player just looked wary before he stuck out a hand to shake. Tidus shook it before the siren went off and the game began. 

**“Well isn’t this a surprise Bobba! There’s been a change in the Auroch’s Line up!”** Jimma, the announcer yelled above the noise of the crowd. **“I don’t know if you remember folks! But the Aurochs new forward also played in the Crystal Cup!”**

**“Captain Wakka didn’t seem to impressed when he started scrapping with the Goers last time Jimma, why the change of heart?”**

**“I don’t know Bobba, but it will be interesting to see what this Guardian will do against the Beasts! They’re no pushovers!”**

Tidus drowned out the banter of the announcers as he went for the ball and scooped it up flipping over in the water to avoid a grab from the opposing center forward and giving in a quick kick to Datto. The balding player caught it without any problems and was instantly tackled by his counterpart who sent him spinning through the water, making him drop the ball. It was scooped up and rushed off down the field where the remaining Aurochs players where forced into scraping together a hasty defense. It wasn’t going to well for the Aurochs when the beasts took a shot and the only thing that prevented them from making the goal was Keepa. 

Shaking his head Tidus turned to the team before the new round started and made them all huddling, running through hand signs to communicate. Eventually time constraints brought them back to their posts and the siren for the next round started. As the rules dictated Tidus was the one to grab the ball, and the opposing center forward let him take it since it had been their attempt on the goal. 

The game soon took on a much faster pace and before they knew it the game was over and the announcers where yelling out the score 2 to 3. It was a close game, the Beasts having better teamwork but the Aurochs barely managed to scrape through with the win. Tidus shook hands with the captain before he turned and left the Sphere pool, only to be ambushed by Wakka as he left it. The Red head screaming in his ear about the next round.

An hour later the red head was still celebrating and a little tipsy as he was pulled out of the bar by the other guardians. Tidus stayed back smiling to himself as he looked down at the counter, noticing the spiked Blitzball that lay there on display. 

“Do you know the story behind that?” The bartender asked and Tidus shook his head. “It’s the blitzball that belonged to High Summoner Ohaland. He was one of the best Blitzers there was before he left on his Pilgrimage. Truly great as a player and as a Summoner.” The words brought back thoughts of the task that lay ahead of them. Defeating Sin wouldn’t be easy, but others had done it before, even if they did start the cycle all over again…

“I think it’s time this beauty was put to good use, eh?” Tidus looked up from his thoughts when the bartender spoke, taking out a set of jangling keys and unlocking the glass countertop. Tidus leaned back and the man leaned in, pulling out the ball like it was made of gold and holding it out to him. The blonde stared stupidly for a long moment, wondering why he was giving it to him when the bartender waved it under his nose.

“This ball, it wasn’t meant to be put on display.” From his current range Tidus could clearly see scuff marks on the leathery surface. Markers of use in the same way Wakka would have used it. “It was meant to be used as a weapon against Sin, and you’re a guardian aren’t you?” Tidus started and looked the man in the eyes. “You and Captain Wakka, have proven you’re good players. And good guardians, so I have no doubt that you are the best ones to use this.” Tidus finally reached up and grabbed the ball, mindful for the spikes as the bartender let go and relocked the cupboard.

“Errr…. Thanks.” Tidus said lamely and the man just grinned back and waved to the door. “You might want to go before your friend decides to do something stupid.” Tidus couldn’t hold a smile at that, but cringed a moment later when there was a clatter and a screech of a cat disrupting the nightlife. 

“Eh? Too Late.”

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

The Airship was practically writhing with life as Al Bhed swarmed over it making all the last minute checks and preparations. With everyone back on board and their plans at least partly made they where going to head out today after Sin. Luca was buzzing with tension as people wondered past the docks to stare with wide eyes. No one had said anything about what they where going to do, but the townspeople just seemed to know that something big would be happening today. 

Harry had woken from his exhausted sleep after three days, but those who weren’t guardians kept a respectful distance once he’d been told where Sin was waiting for them. The Summoner, hadn’t reacted for the most part, but Tidus found him staring out at Luca in stony silence, radiating the same Aura of power he’d had upon waking. The last two Aeons they’d found had somehow managed to change him, and for the first time he didn’t seem like the quiet shell he’d started out as. The blonde guessed, that finding his old guardians had lit an old fire that had been snuffed out and on the same note it kind of hurt that he wasn’t the one to bring it back. 

Tidus found his feet following the familiar path to the bridge and was jarred from his thoughts by Auron’s low voice. 

“Are you ready for this?” He asked, the young blitzer stared at him for what felt like a long time then nodded. 

“Yeah, we’ll get him this time, once and for all.” He heard the confidence in his own voice, helping him cast off his nerves. Auron nodded in acknowledgement of the boast, the barest of smiles on his face as he looked away, returning his gaze to the wall across from him. 

“Jecht would be proud.” 

Ignoring his last comment Tidus moved into the bridge proper and joined Cid beside the Sphereocilofinder. 

“Well this is it, eh?” Cid asked and the eyes of everyone in the room turned to him as he gave the older Al Bhed a cocky grin. 

“Yu Yevon’s hiding somewhere inside Sin, and we’re gonna find him!” Cid just grinned back, a slightly deranged look in his eyes. 

“Well that sounds pretty simple.” He bantered back. 

“Hey! Simple is the way you like it, right?” 

“You got that right!” Rikku skipped over from one side. 

“Hey Pops! You got it ready?” Cid straightened and clapped a fist into his hand as he remembered something.

“Right, got you covered.” He hit a switch on a nearby panel and there was a sudden blast of music from outside the ship. Wakka and Yuna where both gaping in awe as the Hymn of the Fayth played so loud the deck vibrated harder beneath their feet. Cid continued to grin. “I had some of my men go around and record the Fayth from the temples. Great isn’t it!” O'aka, who had moved to stand slightly behind Tidus, smiled. 

“It really is a singing ship in the sky.” Wakka stopped gaping long enough to add his two cents. 

“I just hope everyone got the message.” The airship was moving quickly through the sky toward the co-ordinates Cid had set earlier and it wasn’t long before Brother started shouting from his place at the controls. 

“SIN!”

The large view screen above him lit up like it had when the Sphereocilofinder had been tracking Yuna and Harry the first time and there was Sin looking back at them as Brother finally got the targeting to lock on. Tidus looked back at it unfeelingly, not needing to find Harry to know that this thing wasn’t his father now. 

“All right, we’re going in.” The enthusiastic tone brought on by his banter with Cid faded slightly, replaced by an underlying steal. 

“How we gonna get inside?” Wakka asked and Tidus looked over his shoulder at him. 

“The easy way! How else?” A crooked sort of smile returned to the blonde’s face. 

“Figures.” Rikku muttered, but she was bouncing none the less as she left the bridge and made for the observation deck. 

“Well, lets go!” O'aka ushered the other guardians off the bridge and Tidus moved to follow them but before he could take a step Cid called out. 

“Hey, how do you plan on getting inside?” It was a question that Tidus had been thinking of himself for a long time, but his violent side had been the one to find the answer, keeping it ridiculously simple. 

“If we can’t get through the mouth, we’ll rip open a new one. You with me?” Cid stared at him for a moment then burst out roaring with laughter. 

“Now that’s what I call a plan!” He whooped. Behind him brother pulled himself out of the pilots seat and one of the other Al Bhed nearby lunged for the auxiliary controls before the ship could run off course. 

_“Vydran! E ghuf fryd du ima!” (Father! I know what to use!)_ Cid looked at him before his eyes lit with understanding. 

“Aha! Of course!” With an infectious excitement like Cid’s, Tidus nearly had to bite his own tongue to keep from echoing him.

“All right! We’ll give that thing a new blowhole. All you gotta do is Jump!” He announced. Tidus nodded back, giving the pair a mock salute. 

“Rodger!” Cid looked at him, pride shining in his eyes. 

“I won’t tell ya to be careful. Do your worst, kiddo!” Tidus rolled his eyes and tried to leave when he was waylaid for the second time. 

_“Fyed!” (Wait)_ Brother moved forward and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Rikku, you…Guard?” Tidus heard the tentive words in the common language with surprise, he hadn’t even been aware that Brother knew how to speak that way. 

“Will do.” He promised and finally left. Al Bhed stared as he made his way through the hallways and onto the observation deck where only one person was left to meet him.

“You ready?” Harry looked over his shoulder, away from the window and gave him a look. “Right, stupid question.” Tidus corrected himself and Harry smiled. 

“Lets go, the others are waiting.” The Summoner lead the way to the elevator and nodded to Rin as they passed before the lift took them out of view. The hatch was open at the top so they could hear as Rikku yelled out somewhere above them. 

“I can hear the song!” And indeed they could. Rising above the noise of the speakers around them Tidus could hear the Hymn of the Fayth sung by what was probably the entire population of Spira. He would have joined in had it not been for the shape on the horizon only just becoming visible to the human eye. 

Sin floated above the sea, looming like a storm cloud from within an almost perfect sphere of water. It’s many eyes where focused on them as it opened it gaping maw and almost instantly the air changed. Tidus found himself gripping the deck almost desperately as an immense force of gravity pulled everything…

This was the real power of Sin. 

Then, suddenly as it had begun the pulling stopped and it was still for all of a second as everything settled, but the attack had only just begun and the enormous ball of pure gravity above Sin’s gaping Maw split eight ways before the sphere’s rocketed off in different directions. A moment later Tidus lifted his head and slowly got to his feet in time to join Rikku and Gatta standing at the edge of the deck, looking out at the devastation Sin’s attack had wrought. 

Everything was perfectly still.

The attack had eaten away at water, earth and air alike leaving a perfectly circular tunnel that extended through ocean and land. For a while there was nothing, no breath, no sound, no movement before Rikku let out a low sound of awe. She stared out as they moved by the path of the attack that had narrowly missed them, but even as she watched there was a sudden shift in the air around them and the missing atmosphere flooded back to fill the place of that which had been destroyed. With it came an explosive element as unstable compounds not usually exposed to air exploded in a spectacular display that sent them flying.

As the explosions finally ended they noticed Harry standing at the center of the deck’s painted insignia, staff raised. Then he started to summon. A tight turn sent his staff flying out in a circle around him as he slammed to a dizzying stop, throwing the weapon up into the air, spinning end over end until there was a woosh and out of nowhere it was caught in the grasp of a long gray tentacle. 

The staff was returned to Harry, who accepted it without a word as suddenly the arrival of more tentacles. They waved through the air around them, surrounding the airship and blotting out the sun as an enormous form, probably larger than even Sin, rose from the depths of the ocean, looming over all. 

“Kraken! ATTACK!” Harry pointed forward and without any hesitation the great aquatic monster detached from the airship and launched itself through the water to grab onto Sin. Their enemy screamed and struggled as it was blinded by the Kraken, fighting with it as it wobbled through the air, shedding scales that dropped into the water to combat the massive form from below before it was stilled in the Tentacle’s grasp. “If you want to attack Sin, you’d better do it now!” Harry yelled over Sin’s defiant roars.

“Right!” Cid’s voice came over the intercom system from the Bridge. “We’ve been analyzing Sin for weaknesses and we noticed something on the bastard’s left arm! We’ll get you in close, but you’re gonna have to do all the attacking. Just tell us when we gotta move so we can get this baby outta the way!” The airship lurched as it changed course, heading for Sin’s right side and coming up beside a small glowing gem like chink in the amour. 

“So that’s it’s weak spot?!” Gatta yelled incredulously. Sin gave another deafening roar and struggled briefly, almost swiping the ship before it was once again restrained. 

“Who cares?” Auron strode past him, drawing his blade with Kimahri following suit. 

“Aggghhhh, I just know I’m gonna regret this.” Wakka said in a voice that didn’t sound half as disgruntled as his words seemed and drew back his arm, World Champion in hand and with a yell threw it right at the shining bulge. It was a direct hit, the ball’s spiked edges cutting at the glassy shell leaving a shallow gauge in the center. The ball rebounded and the red head caught it with practiced ease before Sin did a massive full body shudder. 

“Oh shit… QUICK! GET US BACK! GET US BACK!” Tidus yelled out, seeing the signs as Kraken strained against the sudden movement of it’s captive. The airship pulled sharply in the other direction, detaching itself from Sin’s shadow as the monster roared and tried to attack them physically. The blow hit only air, given their distance, but the shockwave was still enough to bowl them over before Kraken regained control. 

The guardian’s chanced a look at Harry and noticed that he was still surrounded by a summoning circle, his eyes closed and praying as he broke out in a sweat. It didn’t take a genius to realize that he couldn’t help them while holding the Kraken and Sin in place, and that the effort was draining him. They’d just have to make this fight really quick and move on to the next part. 

Tidus looked to the others, finding them arriving at the same conclusion as he gestured to Yuna. 

“Alright! Summon the strongest thing you’ve got! Everyone else, get ready to strike when she does, we’ll only get one shot at this side!” They scattered back and in blaze of light and wind Bahamut alighted on the deck. A shouted command from Yuna had it powering up for a very large attack and the air lit up with multicolored rays of light as Lulu and O'aka joined in with their own magical strikes. Rikku had thrown another of her randomized cocktails into the mix before Tidus followed up the attack, slashing deep into the crystal barrier and smashing it. 

Sin let out an unholy roar of pain and struggled violently. It bumped the airship before it could get out of the way and sent Harry sprawling to the deck. In response to the lack of control Kraken released Sin, withdrawing beneath the waves as the exposed joint began to radiate magic and a sudden gravitational force pressed down on them, forcing them to their knees as Cid yelled somewhere in the background and moved the Airship away from the limb. 

“YEHAW!” Cid yelled as they circled back and faced Sin again from a good distance. “We got a surprise for this sucker so hold on to something! Here we go!” The airship shifted beneath them and with a rattling sound they noticed the two large spikes now visible underneath it. 

“What the…” Gatta breathed as they lit up in a flash and energy burst from the point bridging the gap between the airship and Sin before the small exposed part of the Sin amour exploded! They felt their jaws drop as a sudden flood of Pyreflies appeared in thick swarms around the severed limb as it detached from the main bulk of Sin and went plummeting toward the ocean below, completely disintegrating before it could touch the waves. 

“NOW FOR THE OTHER SIDE!” Cid raved over the loudspeaker, sounding slightly deranged with glee as he got to make something explode. The default leader of the Al Bhed had a penchant for blowing things up, and a good chunk of the machina found in their explorations all had the possibility of doing so in a rather spectacular manner.

The destruction of the Al Bhed’s “Home”… Exhibit A.

Still they braced themselves to make contact when Harry regained his feet in the center of the controlling circle that had remained, even when he’d been thrown out of position and Kraken’s tentacles burst out of the ocean once again. Sin struggled harder as it was bound, but it was clear that having a limb amputated like that had an effect on the beast. Pyreflies still leaked like blood from the gaping wound.

So with a clear idea on how to destroy the crystal chink in the amour, fighting the point on the other side became both easier and harder as they bombarded it with everything in their arsenal. Easy because they knew what to do, Harder because Sin was putting up more of a fight now than ever now that it knew what they intended to do. Gravity magic, something that wasn’t entirely common in Spira as it was in Zanarkand, weakened them significantly with every new spell, slowly wearing them down even as the Airship pulled back out of range to attack once again with the lightning cannon attached to the underside, but their victory wasn’t without it’s consequences. As Sin’s second fin fell toward the ocean there was the sound of the cannon breaking. 

_“Ed ec uian.” (It is over)_ Brother breathed out, slumping in his seat. 

_“Fryd? Fr ryja uhmo pakih!” (What? We have only just begun!)_ Cid shrieked out in indignation. 

_“Pid dra syeh kih, ed ec pngah!” (But the main gun, it is broken!)_ Brother yelled back, it was probably the only way the trigger happy Al Bhed would get the message. 

_“Dr-dryd lyhhud pa!” (Th-that cannot be!)_ Out on the deck where the fighters waited, keeping a careful eye on the floating menace as Harry finally fell over, dismissing the Kraken. 

“The main gun’s busted.” Rikku translated the conversation between Cid and Brother for those who didn’t understand Al Bhed. 

“Dang it!” Cid yelled over the speakers. “All right, Back inside! Time for another plan!” Having been no stranger to failed plans he knew that they had to move back and regroup but as the others began to move for the hatch Tidus stood his ground. 

“NO!” The others turned back to look at him. “We’re going in! Every blitzer knows: when you got the ball, you gotta score!” He had a point. They may have lost their main damage dealer as far was weaponry went, but they weren’t exactly out of the running yet. The blonde dashed to the side and looked down at Sin who was struggling somewhat. He studied it and nearly missed the glint that betrayed another weak spot on its back. 

“There!” He pointed down to it and looked at the others. “We’ve gotta get onto its back.” They all stared at him, than at each other as Harry climbed to his feet, still panting slightly and walked over to them. 

“I think we should do it.” He said and walked to the side, but before anyone could stop him he jumped over the edge and went into freefall. He hit the scales of Sin’s back with a thud and promptly went rolling before he came to a complete stop. Soon after came the sound of more people impacting and he found himself being set on his feet by the combined efforts of Tidus and Kimahri. The Ronso was just as quick to turn around and catch Lulu and Yuna as they made the jump from the airship. Gatta had only just jumped from the ship when a sinspawn hiding somewhere amid the scales made a shot at the Airship and it peeled away from them. 

“Sorry guys but we can’t stick around, It’s up to you now!” Cid’s parting message sounded over the speakers as it retreated to a safe distance. 

Once they gained their balance the group took off, running where they could along the massive creature’s spine until they found what they where looking for, but they still had a problem. Between them and the weak point, was a Sinspawn. It wasn’t unlike the one they’d seen all those months ago, back at Killika temple where Harry had been forced to Summon Sal. They eyed it warily as it flowered and stopped as if waiting for them to make the first move. 

O'aka, running short on patience decided to take the first shot and set off a powerful flare spell at the core, completely ignoring the sin spawn in front of it. Sin shuddered and the Sinspawn shrieked, before taking them by surprise and casting Cura. 

“What the… we’re gonna have to kill that thing first?!” The Ex-Merchant yelled then groaned before an attack took him off his feet. They scattered to avoid it as Yuna went about picking O'aka up. Kimahri dashed forward, taking the opening move as he was want to do, and jumped high into the air, bringing his spear down on the soft tissue inside the shell before leaping away. The sinspawn screamed again and lashed out with spells of it’s own before Lulu threw out her arm and hit it with a Firga. 

It retreated into its shell after a volley of fire charged bullets from Gatta and instantly they knew something was wrong. 

“Damnit.” Tidus felt the beginnings of a gravija and Harry threw up a reflect spell. It didn’t cover all of them, but it rebounded enough of the spell that the effects on the others weren’t so bad. The sinspawn simply reabsorbed the reflected energy and reamerged. However, while the others began to take advantage of the open shell, bombarding it, Harry stood back and swung his staff downward, bringing it back and forth like a pendulum before twirling it up into both hands, parallel to the ground. Almost instantly there was a burst of energy from somewhere behind Sin and not long after three jets of light shot out of the clouds to settle down around him. Where they landed flowers bloomed and out of them sprang three insect like forms. 

One was small, and resembled a bumblebee with a pouty human face… Ginny’s face. The second was overly large with a huge Ladybug shell and a bottle cap necklace… Luna, and the third, jumped over his head to stand before him, tall and proud, with shockingly bright red amour with a passing resemblance to a giant grasshopper… Hermione. They turned and looked at him, ready for orders but Harry just waved vaguely, not sure if he could order around these three former guardians like he could Ron. It just felt… wrong. 

“Go nuts…” He trailed off somewhat weakly and Ginny’s face contorted into a wicked smirk and Harry barely had time to shout a warning for the others to clear the field before the neo bumblebee fluttered up, took aim with her stinger, and shot off a volley of rapid fire projectiles that crashed right through the retreating sin spawn’s spell. Hermione quickly cast a number of overpowered spells at Luna, starting with a Reflect spell before hitting it with Firga after Firga. It was a general rule that reflected spells where sent at the enemy caster, and couldn’t be rebounded twice. Hermione had been casting, using that principal to her advantage should the sinspawn actually have Reflect cast over itself. It didn’t though, but the method was no less effective. Luna finally took her shot by imitating Kimahri’s earlier moves and leaping into the air, before bringing her considerably larger weight down on the creature for the final blow. 

Harry twitched slightly as Luna rolled back to her original position in their protective formation. 

“Only you would think to do that.” He muttered lowly at the Aeon but the fat Ladybug only let out a great rumbling belly laugh in response as the Sinspawn evaporated into pyreflies. They narrowed their sights on the now exposed core and Harry waved them on again. “Give it your best shot.” 

Luna rolled over backwards and slammed into the ground, throwing her sisters and the core into the air. The three flew up, taking a triangle formation as they surrounded the enemy, enclosing it in a glittering spherical shield before a triangular energy structure was thrown up around it. The air darkened and they flew higher, Luna taking a little longer than the other two who waited impatiently before they twirled in synchronous. Energy curled around them and Hermione triggered a reaction in the air around them. They began to overflow with power and it branched of bridging the gaps between them before the large triangular beam slammed down on the imprisoned core before digging into the flesh beneath. 

Their energy spent, the magus sisters vanished back to the Summoning plain as Harry and the other guardians where thrown off Sin by the explosion, they where falling toward the earth when Tidus managed to transform. He gathered them up and remained hovering to watch as Sin went plummeting down, crash landing right into the outskirts of Bevelle. It threw up debris as people screamed out in fear and elation upon seeing their age old enemy lying prone amid the buildings… 

One thing was for sure, they where going to give it hell before they let Sin go on into the afterlife. 

 

\------------------------------------------------

 

Back on the airship, hovering a good distance away from Sin and the transformed guardian, Cid and Brother could barely believe their eyes. Not a single member of the crew spoke as they watched Sin go down like a stone. 

_“Vydran!” (Father!)_ Brother breathed out incredulously. _“E lyhhud pameaja fryd E caa!” (I cannot believe what I see!)_ Cid wasn’t doing much better as he stared at the damage they’d managed to inflict in such a short time without the Final Summoning. 

_“Pameaja ed, cuh!” (Believe it, son!)_ He half yelled back, coming out of his daze. _“Drao’ja tuha ed! Ed ec rybbahehk!”_

_(They’ve done it! It is happening!)_


	25. The Final Battle

The Al Bhed on the airship stared in awe as they passed, heading for the bridge where Cid and Brother where waiting. When they figured that Sin wasn’t going to be moving any time soon they retreated to the airship to recover. The silence was broken first by Brother as the door slid open to the bridge and the excitable teen leapt out of his station jumping toward Rikku and starting something akin to a jumpy victory dance. 

_“Rikku, Aqlammahd!” (Rikku, Excellent!)_ He shouted and the smaller girl got caught up in his excitement and bounced on the spot. 

“It’s going to come back isn’t it.” Yuna said softly, bringing attention back to the topic at hand. She remembered what Yunalesca had said, and even if she didn’t have the entire picture that Harry or Tidus could see, she could wager a guess. Those on the bridge stared at her.

“What? You’re kidding me!” Cid hadn’t liked the idea in the least, looking wary as he examined the group who looked rather worse for wear. 

“No… we have to beat the guy inside Sin.” Tidus explained. “Yu Yevon.” The Al Bhed leader stared at him, wide eyed in shock as the others faltered to a stop in their tasks to do the same. 

_“Vilg.”_ Cid swore bluntly and even Wakka, who didn’t understand a single lick of the language, got the gist of what he said. 

“The crusaders would be out of a job if it was this easy.” Gatta explained rather bitterly. 

“But we did weaken it.” Lulu murmured from one side, still holding her shoulder awkwardly from when she’d dislocated it after being caught by Tidus. He hadn’t really had the time to be gentle when he was trying to keep them all from plummeting to their deaths. 

“Yeah! We’re winning!” Rikku cheered, her enthusiasm not so easily dulled. Cid sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes to the heavens before clapping his hands together in a final sort of gesture. 

“Alright, I’ll do what I can with the main gun.” He turned around and started to bark out orders at the recovering Al Bhed, a sharp command to Brother had him running back to his station faster than they could blink. From there they split up, going their own ways in order to recover before they had to fight Sin again. Harry was sitting on a bench, jutting from the wall, a stoic Auron leaning against the wall nearby. 

Looking at his Summoner, Tidus thought, knowing that a month ago, he would have been terrified of what they where about to face. Not only was Sin one of the most powerful forces on the planet, but Sin’s defeat would signal the end of his own existence. He’d had enough time to think on it, passing through stages of Anger, grief, denial and sadness before he’d finally settled on determination. If he was going to vanish, it would be on his own terms, by his own doing. The fact he’d take his father with him, was just a bonus. 

As if sensing his thoughts Auron turned his head and raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face that made the blonde scowl. Harry laughed at the byplay, before his expression became sober. 

“So how do we plan to do this?” He asked quietly, making the pair turn to face him. Auron rested his sword against the floor and used it as a crutch of sorts, leaning against it as his face turned to a frown. 

“We need to break through the Sin Amour.” The old monk said with certainty, “Then we will have to confront Jecht.” 

“Yu Yevon will only jump to another form.” Tidus reminded them. Harry closed his eyes and for a long moment he said nothing. A slightly stricken look crossed his features as he opened them again and met their eyes. 

“That’s what we’ll need, if we hope to win.” He stated. “I’ll summon during the last battle. Every Aeon I summon and every Aeon we defeat, will make him that little bit weaker.” The prospects of having to fight against his own summons made him feel sick. The Aeons were as much a part of his own soul as they where embodiment of the Fayth. It had taken him a long time to realize that the old Aeons, the ones that he’d discovered after leaving Hogwarts, no longer existed in this world, or even his own. The Fayth where long gone and their legacy had lived on in his memory. Cassandra, Nimune, Merlin and Grindewald had all vanished when he’d fused them and the elements they represented to create Gaia. 

He would not be able to summon them in this fight, or he’d die with them. 

_“Rao!” ‘Hey!’_ There was a shout from the bridge and the Sphereocilofinder started to glow, the holographic display spinning wildly. Drawn by the shout they entered the main room, only to find the main display projecting the image of the downed Sin as it began to convulse, its form cracking as it underwent a metamorphosis. Sin raised itself off the ground and the shell on its back broke apart revealing four shining ethereal wings that where nearly invisible against the glowing sunset. 

Magic pulsed alongside the wings as Sin took off, raising itself toward the tower that rose above Bevelle, the very same tower where they’d last seen all the Maester’s of Yevon alive. It perched there, like some massively deformed bird and sat, seemingly content to wait while the people of the city screamed in panic. 

Sin, was waiting for them to finish it off. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

Alarms went off on the bridge as soon as the Al Bhed realized that the airship was being pulled into the mouth of Sin by an immense gravitational force. 

“It’s time... Jecht, he’s waiting for you.” Auron said quietly, pushing off the wall and heading for the door. He moved with long purposeful strides that betrayed he eagerness to get on with the fight. The others noticed him right away, following him past the panicked Al Bhed out onto the deck. Harry followed in their wake, somewhat exasperated as he tightened his grip on his staff. He felt the dark chill of premonition slide down his spine and for a moment he nearly stopped, but he continued on again toward the lift as Tidus lay a hand on his shoulder and grinned. The blonde was shaking, adrenaline pumping hard through his veins already. 

For a moment he looked like a predator that could smell blood before the look vanished. 

“Lets go.” He said and Harry followed him without a word. 

The deck was eerily still, just like it had been after the attack that had made tunnels out of water before their first assault, the only difference this time though, was the slow movement of the ship and the straining of the engines as Cid and the other Al Bhed fought Sin’s enormous pull. 

“Get ready.” Auron growled a warning, but they where too far out of range right now for his attacks to work. Their casters noticed this and they took the lead in the attack, sending some of their most powerful spells at the abomination. At one point Lulu reached forward, her Moogle springing to life and leaping out of her hands as she cast the most powerful spell in her arsenal. The Moggle followed her every move and glowed sickly green as a devastating Ultima spell took a chunk out of Sin’s muzzle, but even as the beast roared in pain something rather more significant happened. 

They came into range. 

The sky lit up with spells and explosions as they let go with some of their most powerful attacks and Sin roared. It’s maw split open and they dove for the opening. Glowing blue sinew stretched between its lips and created a tunnel into another world as what awaited them wasn’t the insides of some great beast but a misty world of stars and magic. The Airship slowed as they drifted through the clouds of pyreflies and out into the great expanse of the farplane. Fields of flowers bloomed at the base of waterfalls that stretched off into the distance. O'aka, Rikku and Gatta all gasped in awe as they realized where they where. For a while the airship coasted along, but then they caught sight of a great spectral eye that was followed by familiar insane laughter that rent the air like a blade. 

“Seymore.” Harry frowned as he said the name and looked out across a landscape that no longer felt serene. There was a sinister undercurrent that tugged at the edge of their awareness, reminding them of their purpose here. 

The airship descended toward the most solid looking berth and came to rest amid a myriad of transparent platforms that appeared suspended in thin air, half concealed by the spray of the falls around them. The group retreated back into the cabin. Having fully landed they didn’t need to go jumping off the side or take the elevator, they could walk right out the lower hatch. Moving out past a hastily placed ship beacon they stopped to take in the challenge ahead. 

“Now where is the old bastard?” Tidus asked aloud, startling some of the others. Auron rolled his eyes behind his glasses. 

“We have to go to him.” The monk intoned quietly. 

“Far be it from us to keep him waiting.” Harry decided to had as Tidus took point and began walking the glass paths, carefully finding the edges of the jagged platforms and leading them by the safest route. Seeing as they where on the farplane, the pyreflies where thick in the air, swirling around through the flowers far below and the sky above their heads. However a few had come together close to the paths where the innate magic of Sin had warped them into fiends far more powerful than the ones they’d regularly encountered in Spira. Behmoths and Malboro made it difficult to proceed in some places but eventually they arrived at the base of a tall pyramid like structure and stopped to rest. 

The entire time they’d been traveling, Harry had felt a sense of dread that grew and grew the closer they got to the pyramid. 

He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what was up there. 

Eventually it couldn’t be avoided any longer and they started to climb in silence. Even the normally more animated O'aka walked in silence as they came to the top of the structure and spread out across the wide platform. It didn’t take more than a second to notice the pyreflies going into a flurry of activity at the other end of the platform but they where immediately put on their guard as the twisted form of Seymore stepped out of the cloud and approached them. 

Tidus had his sword out before anyone would have even thought to stop him and pointed Caladbolg at the former Maester. 

“Don’t you ever give up?” He growled. Seymore stared at him with blank eyes. 

“Sin has chosen me. I am Part of Sin. I am one with Sin, forever.” He said it like it was a great honor, like he was proud that He had been chosen for the task of defeating them. The guado never took his eyes off Tidus as he said that and the blonde understood the jab directed at him without anyone having to elaborate. 

“Sin just absorbed you.” The blonde replied just as coldly. 

Seymore simply shrugged, turning away. “I will learn to control it, from within. I have all the time in the world. Since you were gracious enough to dispose of Yunalesca… the only means of destroying Sin is forever gone. Now nothing can stop us!” The others shifted at that, those who had believed in Yevon longer than the others shifted restlessly at the reminders of what their lost faith had wrought, but they pulled themselves together as Tidus growled out a challenge. 

“Well, we can!” Seymore gave them a lofty look.

“By all means, try!” He said graciously. “You should thank me. Your death means your father’s life!” 

The blonde growled, his only real response to that comment and charged in. He managed to land a lightning quick blow before he was hurled away and Seymore rose up. He cast out his arms and four giant rings appeared around him, seemingly holding him in the air. At intervals in the circle where disc’s of different colors that they easily recognized from O'aka’s Black magic training manual. Each bore a symbol of the elements, Fire, Water, Ice and Lightning. 

The fire discs lined up on all sides facing Seymore at the center and the Guado started to glow, a new power surfacing as he cast Firaga. A wave of fire swept across the top of the pyramid and threw the ones who weren’t fast enough right to the edge.   
At the first sign of magic Tidus and Kimahri had both reacted out of instinct, moving to grab their respective summoner’s they leapt over the wave. Auron had managed to shield both Gatta and Rikku but it wasn’t without cost, 

“Hey, I got something that might take him down, just gimme a minute to get it ready.” Rikku already had several explosive compounds in her hands as she spoke and was quickly producing several more from various hiding places on her body. Auron nodded, taking up a guard stance in front of her while she worked. Gatta decided that he was better off on offensive and moved out to the side where he’d be out of the way of the next sweep if Seymore decided to do that again, and started to take potshots. His bullets didn’t do much damage, but Seymore wasn’t interested in him and thus ignored the constant pin points of pain that struck him. 

The Maester was far more interested in stamping the life out of Tidus who had started provoke his ire, dashing in, making a hit and then dashing back out of range before Seymore Omnis could retaliate. Their foe let out a frustrated roar of his own and lashed out with another more focused fire spell, but he was thwarted by the Nulblaze spell that Harry was casting over and over again. The words had melded together until they where nothing but a droning chant as he let his power wash over everyone else. Finally, it was a combined attack from Lulu and O'aka that gave them the first hint about their course of action in this battle. 

The Blizzaga spells tore through the air, returning fire and Seymore was nearly thrown out of the ring’s configuration, seriously damaged, before he regained his composure and straightened. The rings span around behind him, taking on a different element, this time Lightning. 

“He’s like that Feind in Machalania!” O'aka’s voice called out over the sound of their attacks. “Use the opposite element!” Lulu took her attack a step further and unleashed a flare spell that nearly burnt out her Moogle. Flare was a non-elemental spell, therefore, didn’t loose any of its power to resistances as Seymore finally managed to get a blow on Tidus. Harry hadn’t been prepared for the sudden change in elements so he was still chanting the Nulblaze spell when Seymore switched to Thunder spells. The blonde warrior had been struck before he’d been able to change his incantation. 

As they scored a hit in each element Seymore was forced to change his pattern, and after Rikku tried her attack they realized it wasn’t about to change. After that it became a battle of endurance as both sides started to flag, but in the end it was Seymore that faltered first and it was Yuna he laid down the final blow. 

She’d been growing in power since the first day she’d stepped out of Besaid, but without the stress and worry of being a Summoner she’d truly flourished into a powerful white mage, maybe even strong enough to have rivaled Luna at the height of her power. Her holy spell tore away Seymore’s warped form, dismantling the spell wheels that grew from his back and reducing him back to nothing more than a weak and broken Guado man. 

“No!” He gasped out as he fell to his knees and the guardians approached. 

“We gotta send him, yeah.” Wakka muttered to the side and everyone looked at the summoners. Eventually Harry stepped forward and began the sending, but Seymore resisted the call of the farplane just long enough to pass on his last dark message. 

“So it is you, after all, who will send me. But even after I am gone Spira’s sorrow will prevail.” 

Finally he broke apart. The Pyreflies molded in his image broke apart and floated off into the misty landscape beyond. 

“Sin will be right behind you.” Tidus promised from where he knelt, still breathing irregularly from the effort of fighting for so long. 

With Seymore gone from their path, the top of the pyramid structure had changed, and the way was opened into the innermost sanctum of the Farplane. A star filed sky like the one above the ruins of Zanarkand stared back at them, but instead of the peace the ones over Zanarkand invoked, these seemed to churn darkly in the sky. The landscape was equally as warped. Blocks of matter all loomed around them, shifting and changing, with powerful monsters lurking in pitfalls that prevented them from turning back. Yu Yevon’s protections became stronger the closer they got to the source of his power. After a slow exhausting slog through the twisted city of monsters they found themselves standing at the base of a tower glowing with familiar seals of power. 

“Well…. This is it.” Harry breathed out, staring up at where the tower top was lost amid the stars above. No monsters dared linger around this area, so the base of the tower was Fiend free and they took the opportunity to rest. 

“Do you think we’re ready for this?” Gatta asked from one side of the group where he was making no secret of the fact he and Rikku where holding hands. 

“Oh Course we are!” O'aka piped up, but there was a wavering quality to his voice that told them just how scared he really was. The more experienced guardians where faring better. Lulu and Wakka managing to keep their calm while others, like Auron and Kimahri, appeared completely unfazed. Tidus was just glaring at the tower. He already knew what was waiting for him at the top and while, deep down, the prospects scared him, he was determined to see it through. 

Harry wasn’t quite sure what to think to be honest. What had started out as just a journey to see the world that was Spira and maybe even find some purpose in life along the way had turned into yet another crusade to save the world from a source of great evil. He couldn’t entirely repress the chuckle that escaped him as he realized they’d all been right about his 'saving people thing'. Somewhere along the line he’d decided that the entire peoples of Spira where all worth helping and he’d taken up their cause. He could feel the warmth of his guardian’s magic around him and inside the connections he shared with his Aeons thrummed and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that they’d win this battle. As long as they fought together, they had everything they needed to fight Spira’s fate. 

The others noticed his smile and watched as he approached the base of the tower, reaching out to trace one of his fingers over the largest glowing seal. 

“Are you ready?” He asked the others. They looked at each other and with silent nods of agreement joined him by the seal. Once they where all touching a part of it Harry reached out with his magic and activated the dormant power and felt sensation in his stomach not unlike the feeling of having a hook latching onto his navel as they where pulled through a swirling tunnel of light and out onto a platform that overlooked a ruined stadium and at the end of the platform was a figure that more than one of them recognized. 

But it was Tidus who broke first and whispered more to himself than anyone else. 

“Dad.”

 

\----------------------------------------------

 

“You’re late, Auron.” 

The Monk was smirking at his old companion as he stepped away from the others and approached the ghost of Braska’s final Aeon. 

“I know.” Auron said, more than a little amusement leaking into his voice at Jecht’s impatience. The man turned, eyes roaming over the group before he picked out Tidus from the crowd. 

“Hey.” 

Tidus stared back at him with hooded eyes. Not sure what to think as he offered a limp wave in return. 

“Hi.” 

Jecht’s grin seemed to falter slightly. 

“Hah! You got tall, but you’re all bones! You eating right, boy? You’ve really grown.” The man seemed to be stuck between the memory of the kid he’d left behind and the man that now stood before him. He’d been here, within Sin for more than ten years and in that time he’d had a lot of time to think…. A lot of time to start missing all the things he’d taken for granted. Tidus gave him a sullen glare, seemingly reduced to a moody teenager at being faced by his past. 

“Yeah.” He grumbled in response, “But you’re still bigger.” Jecht gave him a wry smile. 

“Well, I am Sin, you know.” He joked, taking a jab that the size of his own shell. Tidus gave him a flat look. 

“That’s not funny.” 

Silence stretched on between them and they seemed to communicate without words for what felt like forever until Jecht broke the eerie calm. 

“Well, then… I mean…” He tried to begin the next part, but couldn’t seem to find the right words. “…you know. Let’s end this.” Tidus buried his hands into his pockets. 

“Dad?” He spoke just as Jecht was getting ready to move away and the older man stopped. 

“Yeah?” He asked, sounding slightly hopeful in a rough sort of way. Tidus stared on emotionless, seemingly past the point of rage. 

“I hate you.” 

To his credit, his father’s face didn’t change. 

“I know, I know.” He said almost tiredly. “You know what you have to do.” 

“Yeah.” The blonde responded shortly. 

Jecht looked as though he was going to sigh, but instead he decided to add a few last minute words. 

“I can’t hear the Hymn so well anymore. Pretty soon, I’m gonna be Sin. Completely. I’m glad you’re here now. One thing, though… When it starts, I won’t be myself anymore. I won’t be able to hold myself back.” He almost sounded regretful before he turned away adding. “I’m sorry.”

Tidus scowled at him, seemingly waking up from his daze. 

“That’s enough. Let’s just finish this, okay?” Jecht must have heard something in his tone that amused him because he suddenly smiled. 

“You’re right.” He admitted, stepping into a circle inscribed on the floor. “Well, then… Let’s go!” Light shone from the man and he took a few large steps back to the edge of the platform, Tidus’s sword leapt to his hands and the others followed suit. Drawing their weapons they spread out as Jecht tipped back over the platform and the world around them lit up, revealing the broken and ruined world of the Dream of Zanarkand as Tidus had seen it after it had been destroyed. It seemed to stretch on into eternity as the platform began to shake and rumble and a vortex of light that had taken shape in the place where Jecht had fallen surged upwards, an enormous form stretching to loom over their heads. It’s eyes blazed with power and in it’s hand was a massive sword held in hands the size of small houses. With two shifting pillars of stone hovering either side they finally beheld Braska’s Final Summoning in all its glory. 

“Come’on Old Man!” Tidus yelled up at him, getting the beast’s attention. “Hit me with all you got because I’m not stopping till you’re dead! And I ain’t intending to lose!” Jecht roared back a challenge and the battle was on. 

None of them held back in this fight. With so much at stake they couldn’t afford to as they lashed out in response to all Jecht’s attacks. As the battle progressed Tidus’s blows became increasingly more powerful as he vented years of pain, frustration and anger that had been building up since he was a child. Jecht stopped holding back too as he almost slaughtered them, the sword in his hands sweeping across the platform and nearly cutting their legs out from underneath them. 

Tidus leapt up onto the blade and ran up the mammoth Aeon’s arms to his head and leaving him with a massive gash across his face to remember him by, but even as he leapt back down the air around him was already flaring with the energies of an overdrive and brandishing his blade he sent flames the color of his Dragon fire racing down it’s length where it leapt through the space between them and engulfed the Aeon and the stone pillars either side. The pillars faltered and Jecht roared in pain but it seemed to act as a signal for the others and the others released their attacks the moment Tidus had landed out of the way. 

The beast howled in pain as they pushed the assault and began to shrink, every hit cutting away more and more power until suddenly there was almost nothing left of the Aeon and it finally broke apart. A ball of light shot out of Jecht into the sky as the dark haired man fell to the ground and suddenly Tidus was there with him. He caught him before he could fall and held him upright, even as his father seemed to grow heavier and heavier with every passing moment. 

“You’ll cry. You’re gonna cry. You always cry. See? You’re cryin’.” Jecht muttered to himself more than anything, but Tidus wasn’t crying. He simply stared at what remained of his father. 

“I still hate you, Dad.” Jecht seemed to take that like a compliment, letting out a short bark of laughter. 

“Save it for later, kid.” His words held a dual meaning that Tidus, Auron and Harry all understood, even if the others in their party didn’t. Tidus remained stoically quiet that the reminder of what would happen to him after the battle had ended. 

“Right…” He said finally. “We’ve got a job to do, don’t we?” 

Jecht smirked. “Good. That’s right. You are my son, after all.” 

Tidus didn’t seem to accept the words… but he didn’t reject them either and Jecht laughed at him looking over his shoulder to where the others stood, having been forgotten in their little father/son moment. He examined all the people who had followed his son to end his life, nodding to his old friend before his eyes alighted on the Summoners. It kinda made him proud to see little Yuna all grown up in a way Braska would have been proud off but when he looked at Harry he remembered some of the things he’d seen and heard of as Sin and nearly Grinned. 

“You know what to do now don’t you boy!” He addressed Harry directly, finding the strength to pull away from Tidus and stand on his own two feet. “The Aeons…” He began, but he was interrupted by the appearance of a small boy in a purple hood, Bahamut’s Fayth. 

**“We Aeons…”** He mirrored Jecht’s words. 

“Call them!” 

**“Call us!”**

Then with one last nod Jecht let go, his acceptance of his own death being more effective than any sending, as like Seymore his form broke away into Pyreflies and just like that he was gone. A monolithic sword embedded in the platform where he had been the only indicator that he had even existed at all.

For a split second, they all relaxed, but they where up and ready again as the ball of light they had seen split from Jecht reappeared, circling them ominously. 

“Yu Yevon!” Lulu finally realized what they where seeing and called out a warning. 

“Here it comes!” Yuna yelled, getting ready to fight like the others but their enemy wasn’t diving at them. It hit Jecht’s sword and the world exploded around them, sending them into unconsciousness as the world melted away. 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------

 

Energy swirled around them in a dark sickening maelstrom as the true appearance of the inside of Sin was revealed. Gone was the flowers and waterfalls of the farplane, gone was the ominous stars and the broken city of the inner defenses and gone was the ruined Zanarkand Jecht had stood guardian over as the illusions where stripped away from their eyes upon waking. Harry levered himself up from the ground to see the others standing around him already, staring across the platform floating in the midst of the energy storm to where Yu Yevon floated as a ball of light. 

“So consumed by the Amour, not even he could keep the shape he wore as a man.” Auron intoned. “Harry….” He helped him up and nudged him toward the front of the group, keeping his sword in a tight grip, remaining ready for the fight ahead. The others stood behind him in silent support and Tidus clasped down on his shoulder briefly before he got ready to fight and Harry took a deep breath and began what he had come there to do. 

First to be summoned was Athena. Rowena’s Summon soared out of the energy and in less than a second Harry felt his link to her sever as she was possessed. It was grim work as they methodically cut down his Aeons. The founders, and the Aeons of Spira all fell to their spells, but not one of them tried to lash out. While his guardians destroyed them the Fayth where fighting just as hard not to cause them harm and if they took to long to strike the final blow the Aeons attacks where far weaker than they should have been even though they where as powerful as if not more so than Harry. 

Harry didn’t join in the slaughter, not since it felt like a piece of him was lost forever every time and Aeon was killed, but the pain from the others was bearable, it wasn’t until he called on his friends that it became difficult to stand. Ron’s eyes Stared out at him from under Yojimbo’s mask, and Snuffles turned on the Samurai even as he was possessed. Harry wanted the spirit of his godfather to stay with him badly enough he couldn’t be turned, even as Yojimbo’s throwing knives went clean through his skull before they where turned on them. Harry’s own fury ignited and it wasn’t until after he’d shot off the familiar green curse that he realized what Ron had made him do. He’d made him hate him, really hate him just long enough for a clean death. 

Another part of Harry’s soul left him. 

Now, there where only five more Aeons left in his arsenal, and out of those five he would only summon one. Demeter, Pheo, Farrl and Kracken couldn’t be summoned here and now, they had no Fayth, not since the day he’d summoned Gaia. They’d become a part of himself and if he summoned them now, he’d only kill himself. 

No, his last choice was the Magus Sisters. 

Not a moment after the Summoning Hermione, Ginny and Luna all stood before them in a line, their skin darkened by Yevon’s taint and their power fluctuating as they fought their bonds. But they didn’t move. They stood still as statues at the other side of the platform as Yuna’s holy attack once again tore through the air and cut them down. 

Harry dropped to his knees and began to cry. 

He was out of this fight. 

“It’s…. it’s up to you guys now.” He choked out and Tidus crouched to check him over. One hand lingering on his arm before he pushed to his feet…

“Everyone… This is the last time we fight together, Okay?” 

“What!?” The other guardians gasped in shock and for a moment Tidus and Harry both looked away, not able to meet each others gaze, or anyone else’s. 

“Huh?” O'aka looked at him like it was a joke and Tidus sighed. 

“What I’m trying to say is… after we beat Yu Yevon, I’ll disappear.” Lulu looked at him like he was crazy.

“What are you talking about?” She wasn’t the only one who was confused. All but Auron and Harry had been kept in the dark as to Tidus’s true nature and for a moment Harry almost wished he could summon Ron back to kill him again but his old guardian was already gone. 

“I’m saying Goodbye.” 

Rikku seemed to be the first to catch on that there was something seriously wrong. 

“Not now!” She objected, it was too soon to be saying goodbyes before they’d even fought the battle. It was like he knew already that he was going to die… or even worse, they’d all lose. They’d come to far already not to end it now. Tidus gripped the hilt of Caladbolg harder until his knuckles where white under his gloves and he tilted his head slightly to meet Auron’s gaze. 

“I know it’s selfish…. But this is my story!” The older man smirked and nodded him forward as Yu Yevon reformed again after his last violent rejection from an Aeon. It didn’t glow nearly as brightly as it used too and the pagoda’s either side rotated slower than before, their combined powers clearly weakened from their beating, but without the bulk of the Aeons to aim for Yu Yevon was harder to hit but they made it work, Hastega gave them the advantage, and a blanket of spells made it hard for the being to fight back. Rikku, her fingers fumbling clumsily from exhaustion used everything she had left in her explosives pouch, creating a massive explosion that engulfed all three forms of their enemy and did some severe damage before she fell out of the battle, retreating back to Harry to defend the Summoner from stray blows. Gatta stayed in the fight, taking precise, well timed shots at Yevon where he could around the ducking and weaving of the others. 

Sweating with the effort and guzzling through Elixirs Lulu and O'aka channeled their strongest spells one after the other, chaining their attacks together and rocking the platform almost as badly as Rikku’s explosions had. The others beat away at their foe and Yuna had given up on trying to heal them, casting a spell nicknamed Auto-life, they where awakened immediately if Yu Yevon or the Pagoda’s managed to knock someone out. Kimahri and Auron where steadily beating away at it, hitting where they could, but it was Tidus who was fighting his hardest. Half transformed and fighting as though the world would end he was pouring everything in to this one battle, surpassing the limits he’d reached previously and bordering on desperation.

If he was going to die at the end of this battle, he was going to make sure that the main reason for his and Harry’s suffering went to hell with him and it was with that in mind as he fully transformed and lunged at Yevon, the powerful jaws of his animagus form clamping down hard on the ball of light, but even as it phased through his muzzle and back into the air everyone knew something was different. Tidus swallowed something almost tangible from his bite and reverted to watch as the fighting stopped. 

On either side of the now faintly glowing Yu Yevon the Pagoda’s started to slow to a stop. They had done this many times in the battle after taking enough damage, but this time there was a tone of finality about the way their parts froze, one after the other. Between them Yu Yevon trembled, straining as the pillars of stone began to float closer together and suddenly with a bang that nearly made them jump out of their skin the stones slammed together. Crushing the unshaped being before they where sucked away into the vortex of energy as Sin’s power began to drain away and they realized with no small amount of shock that they had done it…

….The Battle was over….

Sin and Yu Yevon were finally Dead.


	26. Final Embrace

On the Island of Besaid they where in the midst of a vigil. 

All over Spira people had stopped and turned to look to the north where Sin hung over the calm lands as the final battle progressed. They’d already heard about the pursuit over Bevelle and how the Al Bhed Machina had helped to ground the beast once… but now all the people could do was wait and hope that the Master Summoner would do what he’d set out to do and destroy Sin once and for all. 

Because in the end Hope was the only thing they had left to hang on to. 

It had been nearly a full day since the Summoner had begun their assault on Sin and they where starting to get concerned when there was a sudden explosion of light in the distance. The Aurochs, having returned to the island after their Blitzball season finished, jumped to their feet alongside the children, the village elders slower to join them, all looking north as a corona of light caught the clouds and turned them gold for as far as the eye could see. It was as though the sun had risen early to drive away their fears and in a way it had. 

But then slowly, people began to realize what it meant when they heard the final dying roars of their bane from every corner of Spira and a cheer went up throughout the village. They’d worry about their lost summoner later, but now was a time for celebration. 

Sin was dead.

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

Deep within the temples, unseen by the celebrating hordes of people something very different was going on. The statue’s of the fayth, that usually glowed with light had dulled and one by one they went dark, the colour leeching out of them as their power began to fade… their ties to the world going with it…

No one would find out until the Summoners tried to summon again….

Something that wouldn’t be for a long time…

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

The world was falling apart around them. 

After the battle with Yevon the somewhat shaky illusions of the platform where Jecht had been waiting for them returned and now they stood looking out at the ruins of Zanarkand, but all around them they where crumbling and Tidus knew that the dream of the Fayth had begun to fade with them. Harry looked up at him from where he hung from his grip, still weak from the fight and after a moment of silent communication Tidus nodded. 

“Yuna!” He called out and the Girl turned around from where she’d been watching the city, lost in her own thoughts. 

“Yes?” 

“Harry want’s you to do the sending.” Mismatched eyes stared at him in shock and some of the others gasped as she turned her inquiring gaze on the other Summoner and Harry just nodded. 

“Why?”

“I barely have the strength to stand, let alone perform the sending, you do it.” She looked at him doubtfully at the explanation but must have decided that the effort wasn’t worth it as she moved ahead and held out her staff to start the sweeping dance. The reaction to it was almost instant as the pyreflies burst into activity, swirling around her in a bright and almost gleeful dance. She was smiling slightly as she performed the sending and so caught up in the forms that she didn’t notice when Auron started to glow, but the others did. Rikku leaned away in a rush when her hand went right through him and Pyreflies broke off from his body, the old monk’s outline becoming hazy as he was revealed for what he was. 

One of the walking dead.

But with his reason for staying in their world gone and his purpose fulfilled he could finally join his own friends, Braska and Jecht, in the afterlife. The others noticed Harry and Tidus’s complete lack of surprise but didn’t have the time to say anything as Auron strode past them, parting the group like the red sea as he moved toward Yuna. The girl finally noticed him and the smile she wore faltered. 

“Sir Auron?” She nearly stopped sending but the man shook his head. 

“Don’t stop.” Yuna looked torn and nearly protested, but the old man shook his head again. 

“It’s alright. It’s been long enough. This is your world now, not mine… your father would be proud.” He added at the last second as he moved on past her and as he set foot in the circle Jecht had stood in before he burst into a billion pyreflies, floating up to join the host circling above them. Staring at the sky they finally noticed that the Ariship had found them and Tidus looked down at Harry with a nostalgic smile as he addressed the group. 

“Come on guys… Lets finish this outside.” 

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

It was a melancholy sight that met their eyes as they found themselves back upon the deck of the Airship overlooking the external shell of Sin. Cid, had lifted off from their meeting point, finding them somewhere in the maelstrom of energy and light that the world had deteriorated into and navigated their way back to the living world once more. Now they hovered in a sea of golden clouds that blocked out the view of the world below, and broken only by the airship and the towering remains of Sin. 

Even so…. Only the present guardians where there to witness Sin in the last minutes of it’s existence as standing back on the large painted crest of the Al Bhed Yuna continued to send. There was endless swirls of power radiating from her that left the others wondering how she could still stand when she’d been repeating her Holy spell over and over again during the final battle.

Currently, she was on her third run through the dance.

The deck of the airship had a chill breeze that made them all shiver as they rose out of one of the many fissures that had formed in Sin’s outer shell. The sight that awaited them was truly one to behold as they rose above the clouds to see Sin floating like an Iceberg in a golden sea. Around him though, where the figures they’d forgotten about in the aftermath of the battle. 

The Aeons floated in an orbit around sin, each radiating with their own light and each one purified of the taint Yu Yevon had laid upon them during the battle. As each drifted past they offered a smile or a bow and the faint hope Tidus had that they might actually let him stay died as his skin glimmered softly, the magic that held him together slowly fading. In his mind’s eye he could see the spells atop Mount Gagazet breaking down and pouring into nothingness as the dream’s fayth began to sleep for real. 

It was then, while Yuna continued to perform the sending on the Airship that Sin and the Aeons finally gave into the pull of the afterlife, exploding into pyreflies that stained the clouds an even darker gold. 

“Goodbye, old friend.” Tidus murmured as Bahamut drifted past and broke into Pyreflies.   
Tidus couldn't help but feel somewhat alone as the Aeons began to fade into the endless mass that was the remains of sin. This was really it... he was going to fade away, just like the dream he'd been spawned from. 

But he didn't want to go. 

The pain in his chest only grew as he turned away from the awe inspiring sight and walked to the end of the deck. He couldn't stand to say goodbye. That would only make the feeling worse. Even so, he was aware of the movement as Harry parted from the guardians and crept up quietly behind him, sliding his arms around the blonde that had practically stolen his heart the moment they'd met. Tidus didn't say anything and Harry frowned against his guardian's back, he was still a head shorter than the other teen. 

"Tidus..." He whispered, knowing his guardian could hear him. "I know what you're thinking... and I won't let you fade..." The blonde's head shot up as he stepped out of Harry's grasp and turned around to face him. Green eyes where bright with repressed tears but the Summoner wasn't crying, at least not yet. Tidus felt a chill run through him and looked down to see his arm shimmer and fade to transparency. Harry didn't even seem to notice it as his hands glowed with magic. He grasped the transparent hand in his own and held the blonde's gaze with an intense emerald stare. 

"Harry...?" He croaked in confusion. The boy gave him a tiny smile as he stood on his toes to kiss him. Tidus let his eyes slide shut and bent into it, hoping to at least take the feeling with him to where ever it was dreams went, he put everything he had into it, hoping it was enough of a goodbye. He opened his eyes again when the kiss ended only to find tears slowly making their way down Harry's face, he tried to brush them away with his free hand but was prevented from doing so when his hand went right through Harry. He couldn't help it, he gasped as tiny pyreflies began to appear from Harry's skin to swirl in the air around them. The Summoner gave him a sad smile and held on tighter with glowing hands as Tidus's mind tried to grasp what was happening. 

"What...?" Harry shook his head to stop him from speaking. 

"Tidus... please... just live, okay... live as long as you can, just for me." Then it hit him. What Harry was doing.

"No." He said flatly. "No... you can't!" The glowing hands reached up to his face and warmth began to seep into his skin as Harry became paler and paler. 

"It's to late... to go back now..." Hands slipped away from his face as their owner stepped back. Panicking, Tidus reached out desperately but stumbled when there was nothing there to catch. Pale and transparent Harry went to one knee beside where he had fallen. "You wouldn't let me die, I wouldn't let you fade... believe me... this is for the best." The blonde's eyes burned as Harry gave him one last smile. 

"Remember... _I love you._ " Then his body gave way, falling forward, but before he could hit the deck he burst into a cloud of tiny green and gold Pyre flies that swirled through the air then darted toward the guardian, sinking through his skin and settling deep inside his soul.

_‘It’s your turn to be the dreamer.’_

It was his broken shout that alerted the others to the events that had occurred behind their backs. They turned, looking for Harry, only to find Tidus, kneeling on the deck staring out at the gold stained clouds blankly. Rikku rushed over and caught sight of an object lying on the ground in front of the unresponsive guardian. 

"Tidus...?" She asked, staring down at the staff. "What happened...?" Tidus didn't look at her or anyone else for that matter as Harry's remaining guardians gathered around... no, they where former guardian's now...

"He's gone..." He whispered in response to the question that sounded a million miles away. "He's gone and I couldn't stop it." O'aka, Rikku and Gatta all looked at each other over his head. 

"He’s gone..." Everyone felt the air of confusion that swept around them as the blonde got unsteadily to his feet and didn't even flinch when the harness that held his blade suddenly disintegrated, allowing Caladbolg to clatter on the deck, lying across Harry's staff with some kind of twisted symbolism. Then without warning he took off, blurring slightly as he raced over the deck. Rikku finally managed to shout but it was to late. Tidus vanished below the glowing clouds, blending into the golden mass with no disturbance to say he’d even passed through…

 

…And so their stories had all ended as quickly as it had begun, with the Master Summoner and the Blitzballer from Zanarkand.


	27. Epilogue

The rejoicing masses flooded to Luca from all over Spira. They'd packed themselves in to the mostly undamaged Blitz ball stadium and where all looking eagerly toward the box where Lady Yuna, the newest High Summoner stood solemnly before them. Her mismatched eyes traveled over all the familiar faces that she'd met on her travels, but none hurt more than the thought of those that where missing. She looked over her shoulder to where her normally hyper cousin was standing hunched under the comforting arm of Gatta. In her arms was a black staff made of ebony and silver that no longer sparked with vibrant blue lighting. O'aka stood beside them, a giant golden sword wrapped in coverings propped loosely on one arm in addition to his staff. It was yet another reminder, but this one held more hope. The gems in the hilt still glowed dimly under the bandages... there was still the chance its owner was alive...

But he didn't want to be found.

Yuna turned back to the crowds and cleared her throat, pushing back a surge of guilt over taking on a title that wasn't hers in the first place and began to address her audience. 

“Everyone…” As her first word left her mouth the stadium fell into eerie silence that suddenly unnerved her. The creaking of the boats from the harbor and restless shuffling where the only things heard… taking a deep breath, Yuna tried again. 

“Everyone has lost something precious…” Her simple words rang throughout the stadium as loud as if she’d yelled them even though she was speaking in barely a whisper. Startled she looked behind her and saw O'aka leaning back against the wall behind him, his staff now in his free hand and tilted in her direction, but he wasn’t looking at her, none of Harry’s original guardian’s where. She turned back to the crowd once more.

“Everyone here has lost homes, dreams and friends.” She forced her smile for the sake of the people and spread out her arms either side. “Yet now, Sin is finally dead.” _‘But not because of me…’_

The Stadium exploded with noise as people leapt from their seats, jumping up and down and screaming in a cataphony that could be heard all the way from Bevelle. 

“Spira is ours again,” Yuna continued when they’d finally quieted down, but this time more confident, bolstered by the sheer joy they where radiating. “Working together, we can make new homes for ourselves, and new dreams. Although I know the journey will be hard, we have lots of time. No one knows just where our journey will lead us, but we do know one thing. One way or another, we will rebuild Spira. The road is ahead of us, so let’s start out today!” The crowd cheered harder than before and Yuna looked over her shoulder to see her own guardians smiling. Wakka gave her the thumbs up, grinning stupidly. Looking over his shoulder she noticed that the space near the wall was empty and the earlier twinge of guilt returned. The crowd was working itself into a celebrating frenzy and with O'aka’s magic no longer in her voice they couldn’t hear her as she added on her final words… they where… in a round about way, an apology to the two who weren’t there.

“The people and the friends that we have lost, or the ones who faded… “

“…Never forget them.”

 

\------------------------------------

 

The blonde lay on his back amid the golden sands of the desert, looking up at the unending blue skies blankly as his mind wondered with no real thoughts to focus on. He didn't quite remember how he ended up here in the Sanubian Sands but one thing was for sure. He was alone. It was then, with no one around to see that he finally let himself go. Silent tears fell to the sand only to be absorbed seconds after impact, but he didn't really care. 

He cried for his mother, he cried for Auron, he cried for the Zanarkand he’d never seen, he cried for his father, he cried for the fact that he was still alive... 

...and he cried for him.

Then, as the pressure that had built up behind his eyes slowly began to drain away he heard something else, whispering in the back of his head.

_"Don't worry..."_ The ghost said, its voice almost lost to the sound of the wind and shifting sand. _"I wouldn't... be known as the... boy-who-lived... without a good... reason now...would I...?."_ It fell silent once more but its tiny words had made all the difference as a seed of knowledge opened in him mind and he finally began to understand what he had done...

Not far off a young Al Bhed boy who had been living in the remains of an Al Bhed outpost jumped as half joyful, half hysterical laughter sprang up from amid the dunes.

Still laughing Tidus caught a flash of black at the corner of his eye and turned his head to see a robed, green eyed teen sitting cross-legged in the sand, chin resting on his hands and a smile adorning his face before he was blown away.

\-------------------------------------------------

_"To the well-organized mind, Death is but the next great adventure."_

\-------------------------------------------------

 

Continued in **Dark Summoner: Memories of Eternity ******


End file.
